Nothing's Fair in Love and War
by amysteryspot
Summary: Thomas Shelby wants to expand his business to London and for that to be possible he needs to form and alliance with the unpredictable Alfie Solomons. However he may get more than what he was bargaining for when he meets Daphne, a mysterious woman who works alongside the Jew gangster. [THIS FIC IS BEING EDITED/RE-WRITTEN - Chapter Two has been updated]
1. One

_**This fanfic is currently beind edited, for more information, please, go to chapter 12.**_

_**This chapter has been edited and proofread (thanks Dee aka. the-friendly-editor), If you've read it before October 10th, 2020, is highly suggested that you read it again.**_

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She was the first to notice the commotion.

It was Newmarket, and Alfie was too annoyed to take in what was happening in his surroundings more than was strictly necessary. He wasn't exactly what you could call a people's person. That was one of the reasons he always brought her with him to these kinds of things—she was better with social conventions than him and had far greater patience. It made her a better observer in these situations.

Daphne wasn't exactly excited at being there; on the contrary, she would rather be home as much as he did. However, she slipped on the facade of the social butterfly with more ease than he ever could. Part of the reason why they worked well together was that their virtues and flaws complemented each other.

That was probably why she saw the tumult around Darby Sabini before the Jewish gangster noticed it himself.

She observed the Italian's outburst of rage while ignoring whatever Alfie was saying in the background. The leader of the Italian gang shouted at one of his men and throwed his glass to the ground, before leaving in a hurry.

The turmoil caught Alfie's attention. It did not take much time for one of his men to come with the news, still a little out of breath.

"The Eden Club was attacked."

Alfie looked at Daphne, whose hazel eyes scanned the place Sabini had just left. She waited for the confirmation of what she already knew.

"By the Peaky Blinders."

"They've made their move then," Alfie mused, smiling. "Fucking hell, they are a bold bunch of fuckers."

"We knew that they would do it sooner or later," the young woman stated, turning to face Alfie, who was scratching his beard in thought.

They had talked about that—the Small Heath gangsters were gaining a lot of fame and it was just a matter of time before they would start looking for an expansion. It seemed that the time had come.

Daphne continued, "And by choosing one of Sabini's clubs they clearly wanted to make a statement; to pick a side. The real question is: what are you going to do now?"

"Now we make our move."

Daphne sees the glint in his eyes, and for some reason she is afraid that the next few months won't be quiet ones.

.

Buried under an enormous amount of paperwork, the last thing Daphne expected to happen was for Thomas Shelby to appear at the door of the bakery. She stared at Ollie for what felt like a few minutes until the younger man told her that the leader of the Peaky Blinders—who was supposed to be in a hospital bed for at least two more weeks—was there waiting to talk to their boss.

"Josiah is holding him at the door," he said. "He doesn't look well, but he is insisting on talking to Alfie."

"Okay, hold him for a minute while I go and talk to Alfie," she said, getting up from her chair to leave the room.

When she crossed the corridor towards Alfie's office, she saw the Brummie gangster in the distance. It was clear that he was giving Josiah, who was trying to hold him back, a hard time. He was impeccably dressed in a suit, something that made him look quite distinguished in the middle of a distillery, but her trained eyes could see that he was in some kind of pain by the way he hissed when Josiah touched him, his jaw set tight. Ollie made his way towards the pair of them, dismissing Josiah. Thomas' attention was brought to her, and despite the distance, Daphne recognized a spark of surprise mixed with curiosity in his face.

He didn't know about her, then.

"Ever heard of fucking knocking?" Alfie hadn't taken his eyes off the papers scattered across his desk when she entered his office. Daphne just rolled her eyes, recognizing that this reaction meant he was in a good mood.

"Thomas Shelby is here." His reaction was immediate; he lifted his gaze from the papers in his hands and looked directly at her as she approached his desk.

"Fucking what?"

"Well, you did send him the telegram, didn't you?" She asked, not really waiting for an answer as she raised her eyebrows in challenge. "It was almost an invitation. You had to be expecting that he would take it."

"Well, not so soon, love. Hadn't your friend said that he was beaten half to death?" Confusion painted the gangster's face as he looked at her expectantly.

"He was ambushed by Sabini and his men not a week ago." Daphne paused, remembering what Alice, one of the fellow nurses that she had befriended while in France, and now worked at the hospital in Birmingham, had told her. "She said he was severely injured and that he would be discharged from the hospital in about a month, if he was lucky."

"Hell, what is he doing here then?"

"Trying to talk to you?" The sarcasm was evident in her tone and this time Alfie rolled his eyes, making her smile. "Even injured, he was giving Josiah a hard time. Ollie is with him now."

Alfie stood up amidst a bunch of curses, and headed to the door. When he was passing by Daphne, he stopped and looked at her before saying, "You stay in your office. Let me deal with him. I don't want you around this one more than what is necessary."

"Alfie, is this really the best time for you to play big brother on me?" She almost rolled her eyes, again, but he seemed serious, so she held herself back. It had been a while since the last time he showed his protectiveness so explicitly. He knew her long enough to recognize that she knew how to fend for herself, but from time to time he seemed to forget it.

"Anytime is a good time to protect you from danger you don't have to expose yourself to. I made a promise, and I don't intend on breaking it."

They stared at each other for a moment before he walked out, leaving the door open for her.

Daphne's fingers immediately searched for the locket hanging on a chain around her neck. She took a deep breath and tried to ignore the lump in her throat before following his steps out of the room. This wasn't a good moment to revisit the past. Her eyes crossed Tommy's when she was going back to her office and she saw again the spark of interest in the way he watched her.

He was going to be trouble, of that she was certain.

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She had been sitting at her office for a total of fifteen minutes when Ollie came in again.

"Don't tell me that there is another beaten up gangster at the door waiting to talk to Alfie."

Her clearly annoyed tone made the man in front of her laugh before saying, "No, it's just Mr. Berkley. He said he's here for you."

She sighed. The lawyer. It had slipped her mind that they had a meeting scheduled.

"Send him in." Ollie nodded and left the room.

The lawyer came in not long after, greeting her and taking a seat. They discussed some of the legal bindings of the business for a while before Alfie barged into her office.

"Ah, Berkley. How are you mate? I am borrowing Daphne for a moment, alright." He didn't give any time for Berkley to answer as he stood in the middle of the room, one of his hands extended to Daphne.

She looked at him for a moment, forehead wrinkled in confusion, but she got up and took his hand anyway.

"I'll be back in a moment, Mr. Berkley."

The man nodded at her, knowing that there was no arguing with either of them, as Alfie guided her out of her office, a protective hand on her back. She didn't ask anything, just let him lead her. When they arrived at Alfie's office Thomas got up from his seat, observing them both, clearly intrigued by the interaction. The bottle of whiskey was resting on the desk alongside two glasses—that's why she was here, then.

"Tommy, mate, this is my second in command, my right-hand woman, Daphne."

It didn't go unnoticed by Tommy or Daphne the failure to use her last name.

"Thomas Shelby." He offered her his hand, which she took.

Up close she could see that one of his eyes was bloodied from internal bleeding. He seemed tired and in pain. Considering what Alice had told her about his injuries, she expected him to be far worse, but the knowledge did nothing to stop her from cringing.

"I know," she said.

That made him smile, and Alfie scratched his beard in thought, once again.

"Okay, good. I introduced you because you'll probably deal with her when I'm not available. Daphne knows everything about the business, probably more than me sometimes. So, you fucking respect her and everything should be fine." There it was, Alfie had just made clear that she was leading things as much as him at the same time as laying a claim on her, for protection.

She had always hated it, the idea that she had to have some sort of connection to a man for others to respect her, but it was a man's world and she had learned to adapt.

"Wouldn't think otherwise." Thomas' eyes were fixed on Daphne, and she noticed how blue they were. She should feel intimidated, probably, but all she felt was curious.

They were interrupted by Ollie knocking at the door. "I am sorry, Alfie, but Mr. Sawyer insists on talking to one of you right this moment."

Alfie sighed. "Fucking hell, that man. Daph, can you…"

"No way. You talk to him, I'll take Mr. Shelby to the door. It seems your business here is already finished." She looked between the two men. "For now." She left the office without looking back, waiting for the Brummie just outside. Mr. Sawyer appeared in her field of vision alongside Ollie, making a beeline for her.

"Oh, if it's not a sight for sore eyes." The older man kissed the back of Daphne's right hand, lingering for a little more than was appropriate, just as Tommy and Alfie appeared at the door.

Daphne wasn't intimidated or uncomfortable, just annoyed.

"Leave the poor woman alone, Sawyer. Let's talk business." Mr. Sawyer said something that Daphne didn't bother to take in, before he entered Alfie's office with Ollie on his heel.

She was distracted by the feeling of Thomas' eyes on her.

"Quite famous around here, aren't you?" was all he said when they were left alone in the hall.

She smiled and started walking towards the exit. "You could say so."

"Didn't know that Alfie had a woman," he commented.

"Believe me when I say that Alfie doesn't have any problem finding women."

"You're what, his mistress?"

That made Daphne stop in her tracks and turn to look him in the eye. They were already at the front doors.

"That's for me to know and you to find out." She saw a glimpse of surprise on his features caused by her answer, so she continued. "Don't take me for a fool, Mr. Shelby. There are things better left unknown. Now, if that's all, I think you're free to go. Have a good day, Mr. Shelby." With that she smiled and left him there, walking back to her office. From what she knew about him, Daphne knew that he wasn't used to being denied what he wanted.

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More than an hour after Daphne had left Thomas at the door, Alfie stepped into her office and took a seat on one of the chairs in front of her desk. She did her best to ignore his presence, not taking her eyes from the book she was working on, but it was difficult to do that when he made it his mission to keep moving in the chair, puffing every second and making noises indicating his annoyance to draw her attention. When she couldn't bear it anymore she put the pencil down and looked straight into his eyes.

"Do you need something, Alfie?"

"Aye, actually, I do." He kept staring at her and she just raised a brow in acknowledgment. She knew exactly what he wanted - her opinion on Thomas Shelby—but she wouldn't make it easier for him.

"What did you think about the gypsy?"

She hated his word usage—especially his tone—but chose to ignore it. She had learnt to pick her battles and that one could wait.

"You already know what I think."

"I know what you think about doing business with him, not what you think _of_ him," Alfie explained, pressing her for an analysis.

Daphne let out a heavy breath, leaning into the chair.

"He is trouble." She paused for a moment thinking about their brief interaction. "He is overconfident, overly ambitious, and fearless." Alfie could see the conflict in her eyes. "He is dangerous, Alfie. That's what he is."

"Well, I'm dangerous too, love."

"It's different." She picked the pencil from the table and started to play with it—it was truly shocking the way she had become used to danger and violence. "It's like you are two sides of the same coin, it's just… I don't know how to feel about him."

"Did he try anything on his way out?"

She noticed the hidden concern in his question. Alfie was good at disguising his worries about her as something just business related but she knew him well enough to notice the changes in his behavior.

"No. He just assumed I was your mistress." She smiled to herself, shaking her head. "He's very bold, we have to give him that."

"Mistress? The lad is out of his mind, that's what he is." He leaned closer to the desk, anger seeping through his features.

"He's not the first to assume that and he won't be the last."

Alfie knew that it was true. He had heard the rumors around Camden about them being romantically involved. When he came back from the war with the beautiful girl at his heels people had just assumed such was the case, especially since she went to live with him. But things were not like that for them—they were like brother and sister, and Alfie hated that people just assumed that she had to be opening her legs for him. With time, people started to understand their bond, but there was always somebody who would jump to the wrong conclusion.

Daphne added, "You didn't help by not revealing my surname."

"I just wanted to discover what he knew about us. He had clearly done his research."

"It's only fair, if you were in his place, you'd have done your research on him too," she paused and then added. "You actually did."

"Well, now we know that he didn't know about you. We can use that to our advantage." Alfie smirked at her and they stayed in silence for a while, just staring at nothing, both deep in thought.

"Do you really think it was a good idea to make a deal with him?" Daphne knew they had to do something about the war against Sabini, but was still unsure if the Peaky Blinders were worth the trouble.

"We need to win the war, Daph. We'll just use him and after that we part ways, hmm," he reassures her, one of his hands taking one of hers and squeezing it.

"That's the thing, Alfie, I don't believe that Thomas Shelby is one to be discarded that easily."

**+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+.+**

Tommy couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that the mysterious woman—Daphne—hadn't appeared in his research. It had shocked him, to say the least, seeing a woman walking around Solomons's distillery. She was beautiful, he had to give her that. Long brown hair tied back in a loose braid, delicate features, a head smaller than him. Even in simple work clothes there was something about her, something in the way she carried herself; she held her head held high as if the business was her own.

The first thing that had crossed his mind was that she could've been Alfie's wife. He really didn't want to believe that he would have missed such an important piece of information, but it was a possibility. However, when Alfie brought her to his office to introduce her, Tommy noticed that there was no ring on her finger. She didn't share any similarities with the Jewish gangster, so the chances of her being a relative didn't seem that high.

The next logical thing that he could muster was that she was Alfie's mistress, but that seemed off, too, because the way Alfie made a point of hiding her until he was sure that they would work together. The way he talked about her, how he kept a protective hand on her back when guiding her to the office, how he avoided revealing her last name… Everything indicated that he cared deeply about her.

"There is something bothering you."

He hadn't noticed his aunt's approach, too lost in his thoughts. She took a seat on the opposite side of the table, observing him as he smoked.

"There is a woman working with Alfie Solomons." Tom said.

Polly looked at him, brow furrowed in confusion. "A woman?"

It still wasn't common for a woman to have such a high position in business like theirs. Polly was an exception because she was family and she had run the business while they were at war, but he still couldn't think of an explanation for Daphne.

"Yep." He took another drag of his cigarette as he observed his aunt, who looked deep in thought. "He introduced her as his second in command."

"Second in command?!" she raised her brows at the information. "Interesting choice of words."

"Indeed." He put out the cigarette. "She seems educated, she knows her way around the business, the men respect her, and Alfie seems to trust her more than anyone else."

"Well, if that's the situation you had better discover who she is. If he holds her in such high regard it could be of some value to be on her good side."

Polly was right, of course, Daphne could be an asset to them, but Tommy wanted to discover who she was for entirely different reasons.

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The Garrison was packed. People from everywhere came for the grand reopening of the pub. Tommy wasn't really in the mood for partying, but he had to keep up appearances. The last few days hadn't been the easiest for him. Aunt Polly was giving him the cold shoulder because he couldn't reveal where her son was, Arthur had been on edge after killing a boy in the boxing ring, he had to sort out the deal with Solomons, and on top of it all, Grace's letter had been sitting in his pocket since Lizzie gave it to him. That is, until he burned it just minutes ago, before coming to the front of the pub to mingle. He spoke to John and welcomed Ada, sending the latter to speak to their aunt. He was about to return to the back room when he heard some whisperings that caught his attention.

There, at the entrance of the Garrison, was Daphne in a beautiful velvet dress. The deep green of the fabric complemented her eyes beautifully, making them sparkle in the light. She held a black coat in one of her arms and a folder in the other. The sight took Tommy aback—the woman had been haunting his thoughts for days now.

She searched the room for him, and when her eyes found his, she smiled.

He didn't need to look around to know that almost all of the heads in the room had turned to her, or that people were analyzing the beautiful stranger smiling at the leader of the Blinders. She started to walk towards him, and Tommy couldn't avoid staring at the way the fabric of her dress brushed over her black stockings, or the way her hips swayed from side to side as she moved. There was something about her, an inherited class, an air of aristocracy, something that provoked the robber in him.

"Mr. Shelby."

They shook hands holding each other's gaze.

"Daphne," the name swayed in his mouth like whiskey, sweet and smooth. "I would address you properly if I knew your last name."

"Daphne works for me," she knew that he was playing and wasn't going to give in that easily.

Tommy liked the thought of her holding her ground against his advances. "You are here for the party?"

"Unfortunately, no. Alfie sends you his regards and some papers that need tending to." She showed him the folder in her hands.

"And he sent you all the way from London, at this hour, just to give me some papers?"

Her smile only grew at his direct approach. "Contrary to popular belief, my life doesn't revolve around Alfie's."

The way she referenced the Jewish gangster so casually wasn't lost to him. Neither was the fact that she had no problem talking back to him—she wasn't intimidated by him, which Thomas found enticing.

"I was visiting a friend, and since I was already there it was only logical to bring you the documents."

"Alfie really trusts you."

"We have history."

Tommy couldn't quite explain why her statement bothered him. It was obvious that Daphne and Alfie shared a strong bond or he would not let her around his business dealings. He also knew that she wasn't his wife, but she hadn't denied being his _mistress_, although he thought it unlikely given their conversation at the bakery. The simple thought of it being true made him angry.

"I don't believe the sight before my eyes. If it isn't Daphne Scott, here in good old Small Heath!"

Tommy looked away from Daphne to see his sister approaching them.

"Ada Thorne. Back to your hometown, I see," Daphne said.

The two women shared a long hug while a very confused Tommy watched the interaction with curiosity.

"Just visiting the family." Ada nodded at Tommy, and he noticed that one of Daphne's hands instantly searched for the golden locket that rested hidden between her breasts.

"Where is Karl?" Daphne asked.

That picked his curiosity even more—she knew his nephew?

"Oh, he's somewhere with one of my siblings, probably."

The two women looked around and found the little boy with Esme and John, playing at one of the tables near the windows.

"What are you doing here?" Ada asked. "And when did you have the displeasure of meeting one of my brothers?"

Daphne and Tommy shared a glance towards one another.

Daphne said, "Thomas is working with my boss. I was collateral damage."

Ada looked at her brother and then at her friend, a warning in her gaze. "Well, you better keep your eyes open because this one is trouble."

"Yeah, I figured as much." Daphne said.

Tommy was vaguely aware of Ada smirking in the background, but was far too lost in Daphne's eyes to pay his sister any heed.

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	2. Two

_**This fanfic is currently being edited, for more information, please, fo to chapter 12.**_

_**If you're read this chapter before October 31th, 2020, is highly suggested that you read it again.**_

_**English is not my first language and this chapter wasn't beta'd.**_

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"You are worried." The voice startled Daphne out of her thoughts and she immediately raised her eyes to look at William. He was organizing a few things in the cabinet behind his desk, still in his scrub, not looking away from his work to face her as he talked.

William was a handsome man; Daphne had never been able to deny that. The combination of his tall, lean figure, with a crown of unruly brown curly hair and his blue eyes, made women swoon at the mere sight of him.

However, that wasn't the reason why they became friends—it was his kindness. Daphne had learned a long time ago that for a man born in wealth, William was more down to earth than you could expect at first. That, combined with his kindness and charm, made their relationship develop rather quickly, despite their initial bickering.

"It's nothing," she said, hoping that the statement would be enough to end the conversation.

William laughed, closing the cabinet and turning to face her. "Nothing? That's why you haven't been paying attention to a thing I've said since you arrived?" Raising an eyebrow at her, he added, "I've just told you that Jane is going to marry and you said that it was a shame!"

Daphne laughed, shaking her head in the process. "I'm sorry, it's just business. It will be over soon."

Or at least that was what she was hoping for, even when, deep down, she had a feeling that things wouldn't be that simple.

"Jane finally decided to end Charles's misery, huh?"

William sighed, taking off his scrubs and replacing them with his coat.

"In my opinion, they are rushing things. Charles received a proposal to go to America, I think this forced their hand. Don't know if he was more worried to leave Jane here and risk that she forgot all about him or if she couldn't stand the thought of all the American women swooning all over her fiancé."

Smiling at his attitude, Daphne just shook her head, knowing that his constant bickering about his sister's engagement to his best friend was nothing more than his way of showing how much he loved Jane.

"Rushing things? They have been together since we came back from France," she exclaimed, just to see him rolling his eyes. "You're just worried that you'll lose her."

William held a hand to his heart, faking a gasp. "Now you wound me, Daphne Scott." He stood in front of her, looking her in the eye. "And you're trying to redirect. Don't go thinking that I forgot your stupid little excuse for why you're so worried."

Daphne sighed, defeated. She used to be a lot better at hiding things from people, but lately, she felt so drained that, sometimes, things just slipped through her facade.

"Let's eat something and I will tell you what I can."

He smiled at her, apparently satisfied with her answer, and followed her out of his office, closing the door behind them and offering his arm for her to take as they left the hospital.

The café near the hospital wasn't especially busy at that time of the day, so they got a table pretty quickly. Daphne was successful at avoiding the subject that brought them there until their order arrived.

"Ok, are you going to keep trying to distract me so you won't have to talk about what's bothering you or we have to pretend that I forgot all about it some more?" William said, taking a sip of his tea and staring at her from behind the cup.

"God, why are you like that?"

He chuckled, then said, "Let me guess, Alfie didn't listen to you again."

"Does he ever?" Daphne rolled her eyes, making William laugh.

"Considering what I know from the two of you, I'm fairly certain that Alfie listens to you a lot more than any other person in his life. Including his mother."

Taking a deep breath, Daphne sipped on her tea to gain some time. She leaned back on the chair and observed, in silence, the people on the other side of the glass.

William wasn't entirely wrong. Alfie did respect her opinions more than he did others. Unfortunately, that did little to stop him from doing whatever came to his mind when he wanted to.

"He is playing a hand that I don't know if he will be able to afford."

"That bad?" The hint of concern in his voice wasn't lost to her.

Daphne had never been able to decide if the way William overlooked the fact that Alfie was a gangster was, in fact, a good or a bad thing. After all, he was a traditional man, in his own way.

"That's the problem: I don't know. He's been keeping things from me. Thinks I didn't notice, but I did."

Alfie's change in behavior had been going on for some months now. The way he started to keep her out of some of his meetings, the hushed conversations around the bakery, how he brushed her concerns off like he knew something that she didn't—something that he didn't want her to know.

"He wouldn't do anything stupid."

His tone was supposed to feel reassuring, but Daphne wasn't sure who William was trying to convince more: her or himself.

"Let's hope that you're right and that whatever it is that he is planning behind my back doesn't blow out on our faces."

.

Standing by the window in the drawing-room, Daphne looked out without really registering what her eyes were seeing. Her mind was plagued with doubts, her fingers playing with the locket around her neck absentmindedly.

After she met William, Daphne had come back to the bakery to find Alfie and Thomas lecturing the new employees on the rules of the house. She didn't know about the meeting.

Daphne couldn't ignore the irony of it all—she had been sharing her concerns about Alfie's strange behavior with William only to come back to find him giving her more reasons to be concerned.

She did her best at brushing it off, playing dumb and acting like nothing was wrong, distracting herself observing Thomas eyeing her up and down with interest, clearly unaware of the storm brewing between her and Alfie.

There was something in the way he looked at her—sizing her up until their gazes met and a faint hint of a smirk appeared on his lips—made the feeling creeping up her spine almost impossible to ignore.

He liked a challenge; Ada had told her that. Daphne supposed that he viewed her as one, considering his not so subtle display of interest in her.

She wasn't naïve, though. His ambition and intelligence made him bold, and his fearlessness made him dangerous. Despite what Alfie wanted to make her believe, Daphne was adamant in her belief that Thomas Shelby wasn't a person that could be easily played with.

"You've been awfully quiet these days." Alfie's gravelly voice brought her back to the present. He stopped at her side, a hand on her back as he analyzes her, quietly, waiting for an answer.

"I'm just worried."

Alfie hummed under his breath. "About what?"

"Business, Alfie."

"About the Blinders, you mean."

Daphne took a deep breath, trying to organize her thoughts. "About them too."

"You shouldn't be worried about it. Everything is going accord to the plan. We will be free of them in no time."

Smiling, humorless, she turned her gaze to him. "That's exactly what worries me."

Furrowing his forehead, Alfie asked, "Do you trust me?"

The question caught her off guard and Daphne's answer was quick, as she turned to face him, "You know damn well that I do. Why are you asking me that?"

"Cause sometimes I wish you didn't. Keep wondering if it wouldn't have been better to let you come back to your family. If it wouldn't be better if I didn't offer you to stay with me."

"Better how, Alfie? You and I both know that the only thing I would get returning to my family was a scold and heartache. Maybe an arranged marriage in which I would be suffocated and unhappy for the rest of my days as punishment for tarnishing the family name."

"And how this is better, Daph? People mistaking you by a whore, involving you in illegitimate business, and putting in you in harm's way."

"You forget that this was my choice. That's all you gave me, Alfie, a choice. I chose to stay. I chose this life, not the other way around."

He sighed, scratching his beard and averting her gaze.

Daphne took his free hand on both of hers and said, "You didn't force me into this. I always had the option of getting out. Why are you questioning this now?"

They stared at each other, in silence, for what felt like an eternity.

"Don't worry about it, huh. Don't listen to me. I'm just getting old and cranky."

He must have recognized the doubt on her expression, and added, "Maybe I am the one worried about you, okay."

"I know how to fend for myself."

"Yeah, I know," he agreed, releasing her hands and bringing her closer to a hug. Alfie placed a kiss on her hairline while Daphne sneaked her arms around his waist, resting her head on his chest.

"But you don't have to. Not while I'm around."

.

"Okay, you have been giving me the eye the whole afternoon. Just ask what you want to know."

Harriet laughed and relaxed back onto her seat, bringing her feet up. "You're becoming quite like Alfie, you know. Sharp as a knife."

Daphne rolled her eyes and said, "Considering that we live and work together, it was to be expected."

"Hum, maybe." Harriet took a sip of her tea and added, "You two are quite worried lately."

That caught Daphne's curiosity. "He said something to you?"

"Not much. He mentioned this new business partner though, Shelby? Is he, by any chance, related to your Ada?"

"Yeah, brother."

"Hum."

Harriet had always been good at fishing for information, but Daphne was better at recognizing when she was excited to know about something while trying to avoid the subject.

"Ettie," she called, and was answered with another murmur of acknowledgment, "You can ask me what you want to know. There's no need to keep dancing around it."

"Alfie mentioned being worried about you. Worried about the way this Shelby looks at you."

"From what I remember, Alfie never had a problem in using me as a distraction in business deals."

"Maybe he is seeing something that you didn't," Harriet said, nonchalantly. "Is this guy interested in you, Daph?"

"He is just curious because he doesn't know what my relationship with Alfie is, exactly. Thomas has fame of wanting to have control over everything. This is something out of his reach. He's just disturbed by it."

"And from what _I_ heard, he also liked to chase things that are out of his reach."

Daphne snorted, "It's not like that."

"How can you be so sure?"

"He will get bored like men do when they can't get what they want. Mark my words, Thomas won't remember me after this business is finished."

Daphne did her best to hide the hint of disappointment on her voice, but Harriet must have caught it, because she narrowed her eyes and asked, "Are you interested in him, Daph?"

"Where did you get that from?" The question sounded more shocked than Daphne intended.

"Just a guess. First, Alfie mentions that this guy might like you. Now, you're here, looking me in the eye and saying that he is just curious and that that will die down once the business is settled. I might not know Thomas Shelby personally, but I've heard enough about the man to guess that, maybe, he affected you more than you're acknowledging."

"You're imagining things."

"I know this month is rough for you, that you haven't been sleeping and that you're worried, but Daph, it's been three years. He would've wanted for you to live a little."

Daphne swallowed the lump in her throat, and said, "That's the problem, Ettie. I don't know how. Not without him."

.

* * *

.

Tommy knew that it wouldn't be easy to get information on Daphne. Not when Alfie made it pretty clear that she was under his protection. Yet, he hoped to get more than he ended up getting.

"The people of Camden just don't talk about them, Tommy. They fear Solomons, fear what angering him can bring upon them." John explained as Tommy took a sip of his whiskey.

"Did you get anything?"

"Not much more than what you already knew. She came to Camden after the war, they live together, work together. People like her, said she is kind, likes to help."

"She served in France," Arthur said, nonchalantly. "Or so people believe."

"If she served, she must have a record file. Find it."

Arthur and John exchanged a glance towards each other.

"Yeah, we can try. Won't be easy though," John said.

"Don't care," Tommy said, taking a drag from his cigarette. "Talk to Danny. Tell him to keep an eye on her, maybe he can gather some information around Camden."

"Tommy, why are you so interested in this girl?" Arthur questions. "I mean, she is fucking beautiful, have to give you that, but you can have any other woman you want."

"She can be useful."

"Useful for you to fuck, that's most like it," John says, laughing. "Don't know what you have with falling for the enemy."

"She's not an enemy and I've not fallen for her."

"Okay, whatever," John laughed, getting up to leave the snug.

"Arthur stayed behind, eyeing Tommy curiously. "Do you know what you're getting yourself into, Tom?"

Tommy leaned back in the chair, inhaling the smoke and holding it in for a second too long, before releasing it. The image playing in his head on repeat made him wonder about the question: Daphne in her green dress, entering the Garrison and walking to him, a smile on her lips.

"I hope so, Arthur. I hope so."

.

"Thomas! Good to see you mate." Alfie greeted him, extending his hand for Tommy to shake.

"Alfie. What do you think?" Tommy asked, nodding at the men standing lined up in the other room.

"Looks good, yeah. Let's get them acquainted with the business, uh?"

They walked together into the room. Alfie went to stand close to the wall, cane in hand, arms crossed in front of his chest, looking more menacing than usual.

Tommy paced in front of the man, lighting a cigarette, and then, explaining how things would work. Everything was going according to plan until he asked if anyone had questions and one of the men decided to make a joke about the rum. Looking at Alfie, Tommy took a step back as the other gangster walked to the said man, looking him dead in the eye, and then striking the guy beside him with his cane.

Unpredictable or not, Alfie had a unique way to run his business. He just observed as Alfie shouted a bunch of warnings, walking around the room until something made him stop. Following his gaze, Tommy found Daphne standing at the door and looking as good as she did the last time he had seen her.

He took a moment to look at her—the blue dress she wore was loose on her curves but showed a good portion of her cleavage, just enough for him to recognize the glint of the gold locket she always seemed to wear, disappearing behind the fabric and in between her breasts.

She caught his eye and smiled at him as Alfie finished his speech and walked to her, standing by her side.

Tommy focused his attention back on the men, nodding at the guy lying unconscious on the floor, "Pick him up."

They did as told, and Tommy turned to murmur at Billy Kitchen, "Get them out of here and make this fucking work."

As they left the room, he walked to Daphne, while Alfie was talking to Ollie.

"Miss Scott," he greeted, offering his hand to her.

His gaze followed her movements with interest, as she took off her gloves before accepting his greeting. Her skin was soft and warm against the roughness of his hand and Tommy got himself wondering how the rest of her would feel like under his fingertips.

"Mr. Shelby," she said, holding his gaze.

Tommy almost smiled at the almost imperceptible display of shyness from her when they broke contact, feeling a sense of pride at being able to bring such a reaction from her. Daphne Scott was a mystery, and one he intended to disclose.

.

After he left the bakery, Tommy went to the only place he knew where he could get some information on Daphne—his sister's house. Opening the door to the drawing-room he was met with a gun pointed at him.

"Ha, you've got a key!" Ada exclaimed, putting the gun down.

"I kept a spare."

"Give it to me."

Tommy smiled, picking the key from his pocket and throwing it in the air, catching it in his pal again, while walking towards his sister. He placed the key in her hand, looking around the room before sitting down on the spare chair.

"Could do with some paint, eh?"

"Yeah, when I decide."

He picked a book from a pile on the ground, taking a look at its cover and then placing on the table, trying to gain some time, but Ada knew him too well, cutting his act short.

"What is it that you want, Tommy?"

"Just came by to say hello."

"Huh. Tommy Shelby never goes anywhere for no reason."

Sighing and putting his hands in his pockets, he says, "All right. What do you know about Daphne?"

Ada laughs, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. "What does it concern you?"

"It concerns me when you befriend the right-hand woman of a dangerous gang leader and forgets to mention it."

"Daphne would never put me or Karl in harm's way. You don't have to worry about it."

"Then tell me about her, so I can decide if I have to worry or not."

"Why? Because you want to fuck her?"

Tommy turned his gaze to his sister and Ada scoffed at him.

"What? I know you, Tommy. You don't want information on her for the business; you want it because you want her on your bed. And she deserves better than that."

"Why don't you let her decide that?"

"By God, Tommy. Why you have to be like that?"

"Look, Alfie trusts her. We need her on our side to make sure he won't betray us."

Ada seemed to ponder for a moment and he pressed, "Please?"

"I don't know much; she is pretty reserved. We've met in the market, right after we got to London. Karl was entranced by her." His sister smiled at the memory and Tommy caught himself almost doing the same. "She comes from a rich family, said to Freddie that she served in the war as a nurse, works with Alfie since they came back from France. They consider each other family."

Ada paused, looking him dead in the eye, "I don't know much more, Tommy. We don't talk about our families much. She doesn't like to mention hers and I wanted to forget all about you lot, we just thought that it would be best just not to talk about it. What I do know is that she is a good woman. Helped me a lot when Freddie was still alive, and Karl loves her."

Tommy was taken aback by how deep the bond between his sister and Daphne was. Ada had always been friendly and carefree, but not someone who would trust her son with someone she didn't consider worthy.

"Tommy, can you please don't hurt her? She's really important to me."

He caught himself nodding, even though not sure if he would be able to afford that promise.

.

* * *

_Thanks for reading/subscribing/favoriting/commenting. Your feedback is always higly appreciated and is what makes me keep on writing. It would mean the world to me if you let me know what you think of the changes._

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	3. Chapter 3

"Next month?!" Daphne's shocked expression and high-pitched tone of voice made the engaged couple laugh. William was a little behind them, by the door, a smirk on his face. "Now I understand what you're saying about them hushing things."

"You never believe me." Daphne just rolled her eyes at his mockery before Jane quipped in her defense.

"Well, you have a habit of overreacting about things." The doctor narrowed his eyes to looks at his sister.

"Always knew that you were going to be a little traitor." They all laughed, apart from William, although everyone knew that it was just an act.

"Nothing like a little display of sibling love by the Weston's." Alfie commented, surprising Daphne with his good mood. The last few days had been a little strange for them, both had totally ignored the episode of the window, but his words kept coming back to haunt the woman every time she looked at him. She was distracted observing him when their eyes met, Alfie gave her a heartwarming smile that Daphne promptly returned.

"We are always happy to entertain, Alfie." There was false mockery in his tone.

"But we didn't come here for William to complain about everything." She turned to face the other woman, her expression was serious but joyful. "I want you to be my maid of honor." Daphne blinked a few times, shock washing trough her. She expected to be invited to the weeding, of course - the two of them were good friends, after all – but being Jane's maid of honor wasn't something that she had in mind.

"Oh, I… Of course. It will be my pleasure." Jane got up to embrace her friend, bubbling with happiness.

"William here already accepted to be the best man, despite his constants complains." That resulted in Charles receiving a slap on the back of the head, given by his future brother-in-law, making them all laugh aloud.

"In all these years that I know him I never saw William do anything without complaining." He looked at Daphne shaking his head.

"What's this, a plot to ruin my reputation?"

"What reputation, mate?" Charles chocked in laughter and soon the others accompanied him.

"_Et tu, Brute?_"

"What can I say, mate. You make it too easy, aye." When they all recovered from their laughter, Jane addressed herself to the gangster.

"Of course you're invited too, Alfie."

"And I will be there, for sure. Wouldn't miss William's speech for anything." That was something that Daphne had missed, the friendly banter between Alfie and William, that brought a genuine smile to her face that didn't escaped Alfie's eyes.

"The betrayal. I thought we were friends, Solomons." The doctor complained while Alfie just shrugged.

"What can I say, business is business, my friend."

* * *

"This had better be good to interrupt my holiday." Polly rushes into the betting shop after John has opened the door that connects it to the house. It's clear that she is in a hurry and in no mood to small talk.

"Where's the boy?" Arthur asked when she was putting her things on the table.

"In the back room. I only brought him because afterwards we're going to the museum." Another obvious thing was that she didn't wanted Michael involved in the family business, even though she knew it was an herculean task.

"He wanted to come in and say hello but..."

"Shut up, John. There is nothing of interest to Michael in this room." Said nephew stopped talking altogether, looking a little dismayed. "Tommy, get on with it."

"Last night, one of our men had his throat cut in Winson Green. This morning, I had a telegram to say it was Sabini who ordered it."

"And it says here that Thomas Shelby's next." Arthur added, ripping said telegram into pieces. Despite the death threat on his life, Thomas didn't looked that concerned, like he wasn't with most things. Just another day in the job.

"If our men think we can't look after them in prison, they'll not work for us. Sabini knows that. So we need to get the Green sorted out. Scudboat, you and one of the boys. Break a couple of windows and get yourselves arrested. I'll have our coppers get you into the Green and you can find the bastards who did it."

"Instead of breaking a window, can we pinch a car?" All of the men, besides from Tommy, start laughing. "What? Everybody else is getting a bloody car. I'm still on a donkey."

"All right, just get yourselves fucking arrested, it doesn't matter how. And before you all laugh, a boy is dead. He was just a kid. We'll start a fund for his family, Pol."

"Agreed." The woman says, solemnly. "So is that it? Can I go now?" She starts picking up her things just to hear Tommy talking again.

"Well, as company treasurer, I need your permission to spend a thousand guineas." That makes her stop and look at him.

"On what?"

"On a horse."

"A thousand guineas on a horse?"

"That's right."

"When was this decided?" She starts passing, deep in thinking.

"You've been busy with Michael." He knew that she would question it but this was a means to an end. Sometimes it was difficult to make people see what he saw. Even Polly.

"Oh, my God. So, in the absence of common sense, you boys have had an idea."

"Polly there's a thoroughbred quarter-Arab filly up for auction at the Doncaster Blood Stock." Polly looks at him.

"What do we want with a thousand guinea horse?" Tommy sighs, before explaining.

"When we make our move on Sabini's racing pitches, any men we get into the betting enclosure will be lifted by Sabini's police. A good racehorse is a passport to the owner's enclosure."

"We'll be in there with all the toffs. Coppers won't know where to look." Arthur adds and John accompanies him, excitedly.

"Yeah, the Epsom Derby, Pol. We'll be drinking with the bloody King."

"The Derby? Did he say the Derby?" The glare Thomas gave to his younger brother erased the smile in John's face while he lowered his head. The leader of the Peaky Blinders took a deep breath and cleared his throat before speaking.

"That's right. For the last ten years, Sabini has made it his race. If we're going to take him down, might as well make it there as a symbol."

"Did you come up with this idea in a pub by any chance?" Her tone was drenched in pure sarcasm.

"Pol a good racehorse is an investment, like property. We need to diversify the portfolio."

"So when is this sale?"

"Tomorrow."

"And Tommy's had a death threat so we'll have to go with him for protection." The older of the Shelby siblings explained.

"So, you're going to close up the shop, go out on a piss-up and blow a thousand guineas on a horse that's not even whole Arab?"

"Quarter Arab is better! Quarter Arab, it means..." Polly cuts him off.

"Curly, shut up." The door that connects the betting shop to the house open to reveal Michael. Polly instantly looks reprovingly at John. "I thought I told you to lock that door."

"He did. I used the key on the nail." The younger boy explains. "Look, I've been listening. I want to go with them."

"You see?!" The Shelby matriarch throws her arms up in exasperation while Tommy looks at his cousin.

"I love horses. I could even help!" The excitement mixed with hope that his mother would allow him to go with his cousins was evident in Michael's face.

"Over my dead body." The older woman said, crossing her arms.

"It'll be all right, Mum. I've been to loads of horse auctions before with my uncle. They're very respectable. People bring their butlers."

"Yeah, and their posh wives!" Arthur said, smirking and taking a sip of his whiskey.

"And their mistresses." Added John, elbowing his cousin while they laughed.

"Let him come, Polly." Arthur tried to convince the woman. "We'll go there, buy a horse, come back."

"I'll drop him back at the house in Sutton before it gets dark." Promised John to his aunt.

"No. Fucking no." Michael left the room slamming the door behind him, clearly upset. Polly looked at Thomas and after a minute that seemed to last too long, he treated to clear the room.

"All right, that's it. Back to work." All of the men started to leave, going back to his own tasks. John stayed behind, approaching his aunt.

"Come on! Aunt Pol, when I was Michael's age, I'd killed a hundred men and seen a thousand die. If you want to scare that kid away forever, carry on how you are going. If you want him to stay, let him come."

* * *

Thomas couldn't say that he was surprised to see his aunt entering his office later that day. After the incident with Michael earlier he expected that she would come around, he just didn't predicted the reason why she wanted to talk to him.

"How's Michael?" He asked when she took a sit in one of the chairs in front of his desk, his eyes not leaving the papers he was analyzing.

"Beaming with happiness now that he wored me down to go with you lot, tomorrow." She answered with a sigh. "But that's not what bought me here."

"What it is then?"

"That woman" Polly started, waiting for his attention to be back on her, but he ignored it completely, the only reaction that she got was his pen freezing for a couple of seconds "the one you and Ada were taking to at the Garrison."

"What about her?" His tone was dismissive, however, his aunt wasn't foolish. She was pissed off with him that night at the reopening of the Garrison, but she most definitely saw his interaction with the unknown woman that had arrived and departed of the pub like smoke, but not before drawing all eyes to her.

"Who is she?"

"She is the woman who works with Solomons." He hoped that would end with the interrogation but he wasn't that lucky.

"The one you were curious about?" Tommy exhaled loudly, dropping the document he was currently reading to look at his aunt.

"Yeah, that would be her."

"She knows our Ada." She would have asked Ada about the woman if she had had the chance, – her niece certainly would be less evasive than Thomas -but her son had appeared at her door and the subject escaped to the back of her mind. Also, the gipsy woman needed to see his reaction to know if they were going to have another problem like they had with that barmaid.

"Yes, they know each other from London."

"I want to meet her." He wrinkled his forehead.

"Why?"

"Because the last time a woman caught your attention your judgment became clouded and we both know that it didn't end well."

"It's not like that."

"Maybe not yet, but I know the look in your eyes. She intrigues you. I noticed the first time you talked about her. I brushed it off because I thought it was just because of the business, but the way you behaved yourself around her that night at the Garrison tells me otherwise." Thomas takes a deep breath but does not confirm or denies her suspicions.

"I'm certain that Ada can schedule tea for you three..."

"No. I want you to be there." She wanted to see firsthand how he reacted to this girl because the last thing that Polly trusted was in men and their cocks. Thomas wasn't the worst of the Shelby brothers in this topic – John was the man whore of the three of them – but since he was in charge of things in the family, the potential of trouble was higher.

"I will see what I can do."

* * *

"To the premises of Mr. Charles Strong, Small Heath." The man wrote down on the book before looking up at Tommy. "What kind of premises?"

"Boat yard." The Brummie answered unamused.

"Yachts?"

"Canals."

"I'm curious. What is your business, Mr. Shelby?" The man asked, giving Tommy a piece of paper.

"Import, export." Before he left, Tommy added. "But I also sell pegs and tell fortunes."

"You beat us to it." The feminine voice made him stop and turn around - it was the woman of the auction. The one who had been stealing glances at the gangster since they arrived.

"Did I?"

"I was trying to nab a filly for my stud." Thomas knew that she was only trying to catch his attention, but he played along.

"Sorry."

"Thomas Shelby from where?" He took a deep breath before answering.

"From Birmingham."

"Goodness!" There was a certain amount of surprise in her voice, mixed with shock.

"No, not much."

"May Carleton." She extended her hand for him and he took it. "I breed racehorses and train them. What is it you do?"

"I rarely answer questions, is what I do."

"Tommy, come on, hurry up! We've got to go!" Arthur shouted in the background, laughing.

"Well, before you go, if you ever decided to put that filly out, I'd be interested in having her."

"I plan to race her." She looked at him surprised.

"Do you have a trainer?"

"I know people."

"I know people, too." The woman replied giving Tommy her card.

"Tommy! We've got to get this kid back before dark or Polly will have your balls!" John shouted this time while they all laughed.

"She will have 'em!" Arthur quipped in.

"We know different people, I would guess." Tommy just ignored his brother's giggles in the background.

"My father knows Mick Hancock. Trained three Ascot winners."

"Oh, so that was your father?" He was right, them. She was talking to him for a reason – a reason that didn't involve the horse at all.

"Yes. We're joint owners of the stud. He took the majority share when my husband was killed. Ypres."

"Tommy! We've got to get back to the caravans! The chickens are hungry!" May looked at them and chuckled before asking.

"So will you consider me?"

"I will consider you."

"You still didn't tell me what you do." Tommy turned to face her again.

"Oh, I do bad things. But you already know that." She could be a good asset for their plan and maybe – hopefully - help him get his mind off of the damn mystery that was Daphne Scott.

* * *

Things have been quite calm for Daphne since she received Jane's invitation to be her maid of honor. She saw the girl almost daily now, helping her prepare everything that was needed for the ceremony in such a short time. To say that the youngest of the Weston's siblings was beaming with joy would be an understatement – she was all smiles and compliments and it ended up rubbing off on Daphne, even if just a little bit.

She had met William a couple of times too, since he was involved in the preparations as much as her seeing that he wasn't just the best man but also the bride's older brother. He tried to sound annoyed in every meeting, but Daphne knew that he was happy for the couple, just worried that his little sister would be out of his sight from now on.

Alfie was an entirely different matter. Things had been as normal as you would expect between them. No more visits from Thomas Shelby, no more employees being knocked out cold, everything seemed to run smoothly. However, Daphne knew in her heart that something wasn't right. More than once, she had caught him staring at her from the distance with a frown on his face, deep in thinking. He usually did not even noticed that she had caught him staring, but when he did, the Jew made quick work to turn the other way, pretending that nothing happened.

In all the years she had known him, Daphne never gave too much though about the reasons why he kept her around. Alfie wasn't exactly what you could call _"a man of his word"_. She had seen him betray his associates for his own benefit more than once - and being brutally honest, she couldn't say that if the roles were reversed she would have done different. With her, thought, he always had been anything but loyal. He had helped her in the moment she most needed and they constructed a strong bond. Strong enough for her to consider him family.

In all the years they have worked together, they learned how to read each other – that was one of the reasons why they functioned so well as partners. And that's why she knew she wasn't going crazy because he was, most certainly, hiding something from her. His words kept hammering in her head: _"Do you trust me? Because sometimes I wish you didn't."_.

"You look like Tommy." Daphne blinked a few times while looking at Ada.

"What?"

"You do this thing of looking straight away, to nowhere, not blinking or moving while you're deep in thinking. He does that sometimes." Ada laughed when the other woman raised one eyebrow at her. "I can't help it if you two have so much in common." There was a pause while she poured the both of them another cup of tea. "He's been asking about you."

"Who?" Ada rolled her eyes, sitting down on the chair again.

"You know who. My knucklehead of a brother." Daphne laughed at that while the other woman just observed her carefully. There was a hint of concern in her voice when she asked "Why is he so interested in you, Daph?"

"It's not in me he's interested in, it's in my relationship with Alfie." Or so she had been trying to convince herself. Since she last talked to Harriet Daphne had been trying to figure out what she felt towards the Brummie gangster, with no luck so far. It seemed that the much she thought about it more confused she was getting.

"Forgive me if I don't believe in that for a second. I know my brother and the way he looks at you has nothing to do with curiosity about your relationship with Solomons." Daphne had no answer to that so she took a sip of her tea trying to ignore Ada's scrutinizing gaze.

"Just be careful, okay."

"Ada, even if he is interested in me it doesn't mean that anything will happen. Even if I was interested in him too." Daphne regretted her words the moment they left her mouth.

"Are you?"

"Am I what?"

"Interested in him?" There was a long silence where the two of them just stared at each other. "Just have in mind that Tommy usually gets what he wants and this not necessarily means that it will be what you want too."

"Ada…"

"I really like you, Daph. And I know that deep down my brother is a good man. He's just… Not the same since he came back from the war and I would hate to see him hurt you." Neither of them had the time to address the subject further since Karl entered the room in a rush going straight to Daphne's lap. As they both giggled at something that the little boy had done, the topic dissipated in the air. The unfinished conversation had to wait for another time.

* * *

When they entered the pub everyone stood up, clapping their hands as they passed. Daphne just looked at Alfie and he only shrugged, a hand on her back to guide her through the crowd. Some of the people greeted her on their way to the mezzanine just beside the stage.

"I'll bloody kill you, Solomons." She said to him through clenched teeth and he laughed at her, whispering into her ear.

"No, you won't love." Despite being pissed off at him for ignoring her wishes of not doing anything at her birthday, Daphne couldn't help but feel touched by his gesture.

"You tricked me into this." He made her stop at the base of the stairs that lead to the mezzanine beside the stage, turning her to face him and resting his hands on her arms.

"I knew that it was the only way for you to come, don't blame me for wanting to see you happy." The young woman just nodded, ignoring all the eyes on them, before she let him lead her upstairs. She recognized almost all of the faces that turned to look at them when they arrived on the mezzanine – Ollie and his wife, Jane and Charles, William, Harriet, some of their work associates, Ada and Karl, but her eyes were instantly draw to a pair of blue irises fixed on her. His stare was so intense that she felt like getting lost in them, but the connection was broken when Karl escaped Ada's arms and run right to her screaming "Dee Dee", making everyone smile. She caught him by reflex while he hugged her.

"Mommy said that this was for you. She said it is your birrr…" He gave her a package that Daphne knew contained a book all the while struggling to say the word birthday. She smiled and kissed him on the check.

"Birthday, sweet pea." Alfie chuckled behind them while Ada walked to them.

"That it."

"What have I told you about running away from me, Karl?" It was always amazing to see Ada step into her motherly figure.

"But it was Dee Dee!" The boy protested snuggling into Daphne's neck while the woman smiled.

"It doesn't matter, you can't do that, Karl."

"It's okay, Ada. He won't do it again." Karl straightened himself to look at Daphne. "Will he?"

"No, Dee Dee." She smiled at him again and he gave her a kiss on the check. Ada could do nothing but shake her head.

"That's a good boy." Daphne placed him on the ground and Ada stepped closer to hug her.

"Happy Birthday, Daph. I know you hate it, but try and have some fun, will you?" They looked at each other for a moment.

"I won't promise you anything." The two smiled at each other and Ada hushed Karl back to where they were sitting so Daphne could talk to the other guests.

Jane almost knocked her out to the ground in a very good mimicking of what Karl had just done while everyone laughed. Charles was right behind her - the couple seemed to be stuck into a bubble of unbreakable happiness. William was trying – and failing miserably – to hide a smile right behind them.

"Trying to maintain your reputation of 'The grumpy Weston', I see."

"Somebody has too." He smiled, before hugging her. "Happy Birthday, Daph."

"Okay, can you release her now? She's not exclusively yours, you know?" They separated themselves from the embrace and laughed at Harriet standing right behind them, hands on her waist as if she was about to give them the scold of their lives.

"You and your wonderful timing, as always." William huffed, rolling his eyes and receiving a slap on the arm from Daphne.

"Get away, lover boy." The courtesan jested, smiling bright at Daphne before taking her in a hug like the others. "Are you okay?" The question was asked quietly, just for Daphne to hear. They kept each other close after they parted from the hug.

"I will be." Harriet knew that it was a lie – Daphne was not okay, she would never be okay, not entirely and the sadness in her eyes proved that. She wanted to convince her friend that she could be happy, she should be happy, but sometimes the woman could be as headstrong as Alfie. Harriet just nodded and Daphne moved onto the next person that was waiting to greet her, with the Jew following her closely.

* * *

The blood red of the dress contrasted with her skin and for a moment, Tommy let his eyes wander down her body. The sleeveless piece of clothing was sophisticatedly draped with intricate embroidery at the front, the velvet was loose on her curves, marked only at the waist but the back had a low-cut that showed a good amount of her skin, since her hair was loosely tied. The golden locket always around her neck.

Thomas felt pulled by her presence like a moth to a flame. He observed, curiously, as she crossed the room with Alfie right behind her, all eyes on her. Then it took him by surprise the way his nephew had run to her, hugging and kissing her as if she was family. He already knew that she and Ada were close but he was right in assuming – after Ada called her by a nickname – that their bond was stronger than he had predicted.

Polly noticed the way Tommy's eyes were immediately attracted to the woman the moment she entered the pub. She took her time observing the girl too. It was undeniable that she was beautiful – all soft curves, long hair and a smile that could light up the whole room – but there was something more, something about the way she carried herself that made people captivated by her.

She watched Thomas observing the girl and immediately recognized the spark in his eyes – there was no denying that he was attracted to her, Polly wanted to know in what extent. The older woman saw the same spark in Daphne's eyes when their eyes crossed just before Karl jumped into the woman's arms. Her relationship with Ada was something that Polly would explore later, because there was no way that her niece would have left Karl around someone she didn't trusted.

"That woman over there isn't Harriet?" John's voice broke the spell and Tommy looked at the woman his brother was talking about – it was the brunette, dressed in a tight navy blue skirt and white blouse mocking a the man who was hugging Daphne at the moment.

"Harriet? You must be crazy Jhonny, boy. This can't be…" Arthur's mouth fell open before he could finish the sentence.

"The owner of one of the most famous brothels in London?" John looked at the older Shelby, smugly, but Tommy's attention was securely held by the interaction between Daphne and the man that had just hugged her. He seemed like one of those rich gentlemen that every mother wanted for their daughters at the same time that he held an air of rebellion. What made Thomas wary was the way his touch lingered on Daphne who seemed unbothered by it.

Daphne graciously greeted everyone in the mezzanine – everyone except for the group of people watching her on the other side of the mezzanine. She looked at Alfie that just motioned for her to follow him.

"And I took the opportunity to invite the rest of the Shelby clam, so we could get acquaintance, aye. Now, you already know Tommy here, this is the rest of his family."

"Arthur Shelby, at your service." The eldest of the brothers kissed the back of Daphne's hand, making her smile.

"Daphne Scott."

"John Shelby, it's a pleasure to meet you." He mimicked his older brother moves, a flirtatious smile on his face.

"Likewise. You aren't supposed to have a wife, somewhere?" Arthur almost spat his drink trying to contain his laughter and John cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure. Alfie chuckled behind her.

"She had to stay home with the kids."

"Send her my regards, then." He nodded at her, clearly not used being caught flirting like that. Daphne's eyes then stopped in the older woman beside Thomas. She was staring at her quizzically but there was a hint of a smile on her features.

"Polly Gray." She took a second too much to extend her hand for the younger woman to take, probably trying to make a point. Her grip was firm but so was Daphne's – two could play at this game.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Ada talks greatly of you." The girl knew how to play, Polly had to give her that. The way she handed John's flirting showed that she knew how to handle herself and, most importantly, that she had done her fair share of research on them. By bringing Ada into the conversation right now, she was trying to gain the older woman's good graces.

"Funny thing is that she never mentioned you."

"I had to keep her away from the bunch of you or otherwise she would have left running." Ada quipped in, having just arrived back at the mezzanine after going to the bathroom, before Daphne could say anything.

"Well, she is not running." Her hazel eyes encountered Tommy's when he spoke, keeping himself beside his aunt. Daphne held his gaze when she answered.

"It takes a lot more to make me run."

"I hear that a happy birthday is in order." He extended his hand to her, that she took without question, the touch lasting a minute longer than it should.

"Dee Dee, are you going to have a cake?" Daphne released Tommy's hand to lower herself to Karl's level before talking to the little boy.

"Maybe. Why? Will you want some?"

"'Cause when it's your birrr…" She smiled again.

"Birthday."

"Yeah, you have to blow the candles, right?"

"That's right, lad. Do you want to go see if Daph's cake is ready?" Daphne was amused at how shocked everyone looked when Alfie lowered himself at her side to talk with the little boy, who looked at him shyly. Karl looked at his mother who nodded at him, before looking at Daphne again.

"Will you help me blow out the candles?" He only nodded excitedly, before taking the hand that Alfie offered him and the two of them walked to the kitchen. When Daphne straightened herself, observing Alfie and Karl going down the stairs seemingly in a happy conversation, she directed herself to her friend. "That was a low blow, even for you."

"What can I say, we play with the cards we have."


	4. Chapter 4

They had sang Happy Birthday to her much to Daphne's dismay, but it was worth it in the end because Karl had happily "helped" her blown out the candles, giggling all the time. She stayed and socialized with the guests for a bit until she made a very sneaky exit to the balcony on the side of the pub. Usually she would be the one waltzing around, making small talk with people and entertaining the guests, but today she wasn't really feeling like it. Of course she appreciated Alfie's gesture - he always tried to cheer her up on her birthday and she loved him for that, truthfully, but one can ignore the day you dread the most just for a certain amount of time.

The cold wind outside made her instantly regret not having grabbed her coat before leaving, but the perspective of going inside again didn't appeal to her, so she just ignored the goosebumps. She let her eyes wonder to the street, observing a few people stumbling on the sidewalk before her already cold fingers searched for the locket hanging from her neck and nesting against her sternum. Daphne stroked the piece of metal with her thumb a few times, the material was warm against her skin, them she pulled it out of her neck and opened it.

There were two small black and white photographs inside – a young girl and a boy, their features were similar, yet different. You couldn't tell by the image but they had the same hair color, his face was a little more angular than hers and his eyes from a darker shade of brown instead of the bright hazel of hers. Despite the fact that the photographs were in different sides of the locket, you could tell that they had been cut from the same image because they two seemed to be looking and smiling at each other. Daphne pressed her thumb in the boy's picture, so absorbed in looking at it that she didn't noticed she wasn't alone anymore.

"You seem awfully unhappy for someone who has a whole party in her honor going on just inside." A warm coat rested against her shoulders, she distinguished the smell of tobacco and whisky, mixed with a musky cologne that she did not quite recognized. Thomas noticed that she closed the locket before turning to face him, adjusting his jacket on her shoulders. The seemingly innocent and simple gesture of her adjusting a piece of clothing that belonged to him on her own body made something stir inside of him – some raw possessiveness that wanted to show the whole world that she belonged to him, even when he knew that it was far from the truth. Daphne seemed like the kind of woman who would never belong to nobody but herself.

"Let's just say I'm not very prone to celebrate my birthday." Her fingers rested on the collar of the jacket, the locket securely held between the fabric and her fingers. Thomas noticed that every time he had seen her she was wearing the jewelry. He took a step closer, taking the piece from her, the metal was still warm and weighted very little on his fingers while he twisted it. She did not protest, just observed him with the piece – in the dim light he noticed that the chocolate brown of her irises was almost drowning in a sea of deep forest-green. He didn't opened it because he felt that whatever was inside it was something she wasn't willing to share.

"You're one of those girls who is all worried about getting older?" He asked while parting the chain and passing it through her head, the locket still between his fingers.

"Not exactly." She smiled but he noticed that it was a forced one because it didn't reached her eyes. Daphne raised her hand, placing it on top of his, her fingers curling themselves around his own to slip the locket from out of his grasp. He let her take it from him and watched as she adjusted it inside the neckline of her dress. "We better get inside." _Before someone notices_, she thought but restrained herself from saying, even when the look in his eyes said that he had guessed it. She should not feel guilty, they weren't doing nothing wrong, just talking. However, Daphne still felt like this stolen moment was some kind of secret that she had to keep to herself.

He followed her closely, when they stepped out the door she took off his jacket, handing it back to him, their fingers lingering together for a moment before she thanked him and excused herself, going to the opposite direction of the balcony. Thomas stood there, watching her leave, holding the jacket in one of his hands and wondering how this woman could have such a strong effect on him in such a short time. He opened and closed his hand – the one she had just touched - his fingers seeming to tingle from the contact even now.

Nobody in the pub seemed to have noticed the little interaction between the two – nobody except William and Polly, who were observing the couple on opposite sides of the mezzanine, unaware of one another.

William had seen Thomas follow Daphne to the balcony moments before, distracting their friends and preventing them to look that way, trying his best to hide the frown on his face. He had managed to break free from the small group, who continued in deep conversation, and walked to the railing. There was a hint of sadness in his blue eyes as he observed Daphne stepping into the room wrapped in Thomas's jacket. He clenched his fists, recognizing the all too familiar burn of anger and jealousy that he hated so much.

Polly, on the other hand, was sipping her drink when she saw Tommy and Daphne getting out the door. The older woman smiled to herself – she was right them, there was more than just attraction between his nephew and the girl. She looked around, checking if anybody had noticed the two and saw one of Daphne's friends - the handsome bachelor who turned many girls heads all night - observing the couple with closed fists. He looked in her direction, a frown on his face, and saw that she had seen the same thing as him, making quick work to ignore it and come back to the group of people he had just left.

Thomas was walking towards his family, intending to leave and go to his hotel room when he heard his name being called.

"It can't be Sargent Major Thomas M. Shelby!" He turned on his heels and took just a moment to recognize the man talking to him.

"Charles Johnson, I thought I would never see you again." There was a hint of a smile on the gangster's face when the man approached him and the two hugged, patting each other on the back.

"Me neither. I was pretty sure that none of us would get out of that hell alive." Thomas couldn't stop himself of thinking that a part of him never really came back from the war, but that wasn't a conversation that he wanted to have.

"And yet, here we are."

"Here we are, indeed. You should meet my fiancé." Charles turned to look at the beautiful blonde that had almost knocked Daphne to the ground at the beginning of the night. He made a motion with his head and she approached them. "This is Jane, my fiancé. Jane this is Thomas Shelby, we've met in France."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Shelby." They shook hands briefly. She looked like a delicate flower – young and beautiful and full of energy. They were a match made in heaven, because from what Tommy remembered, Charles had that optimistic nature that sometimes got to your nerves, despite some moments of weakness.

"Likewise. Let me ask you how you ended up with this moron?" She laughed and Charles scoffed at him.

"I thought you were better, Shelby."

"It was actually my brother's fault. Charles and William have been friends since they were kids." Jane answered sweetly, looking around to find her brother. "Oh there he is. William, come here."

"Where's the fire?"

"There's no fire, you daft." Jane smacked her brother on the arm, the action made Tommy remember Ada. "Mr. Shelby was just asking how I and Charles have met. I said that it was all your fault." Thomas recognized him immediately – it was the man who had hugged Daphne for a little too long earlier. He extended his hand towards him.

"Thomas Shelby."

"William Weston." They shook hands, analyzing each other while doing so. "You know Charles?"

"Yes, we've met in France." Charles answered quickly, apparently unaware of the animosity between the two men.

"You certainly have been there too, haven't you Mr. Weston?" The sarcasm was evident in Tommy's voice, but only William noticed it.

"Yeah, served there as a doctor. It's where I've met Daph." If he wasn't paying close attention, William would certainly have missed the brief twitch of Tommy's lip and the hint of jealously in his eyes.

"Yeah, only good thing that happened there." Charles observed. "You're here because of her birthday too, right, Tommy?"

"Yes."

"Tell me, Mr. Shelby, how do you know our Daphne?" This time Jane noticed that something was going on by the tone her bother used, so she paid close attention to the conversation.

"I'm working with Mr. Solomons."

"That he is. A pain in my ass, if you ask me, mate." They all turned to see Alfie arriving with Daphne on his arm, both of them smiling.

"Business partners." William seemed a little impressed.

"Yeah. Would you believe it?" Alfie joked, making Jane and Charles laugh, William just smiled without humor to avoid suspicion but Daphne noticed it, so did Tommy.

"You should come to the weeding, Mr. Shelby." Suggested Jane and Charles immediately agreed.

"Yeah, it's a great idea. You can bring your wife, you certainly are married by now. You were always a heartbreaker."

"No. No wife" He looked at Daphne for a moment and she tried to ignore the intensity of his gaze.

"That's a shame, but you can bring anyone you want, really. Alfie will be there too, so you will at least have a familiar face around."

"Wouldn't lose William's speech for nothing." The Jew smiled, making the others laugh at William rolling his eyes.

"Again with that?"

"Couldn't let it pass, mate."

"Daphne will be there too. She will be my maid of honor." Explained Jane as enthusiastically as is the day she actually made the invitation. All of a sudden, the idea of going to the weeding seemed quite interesting to Tommy.

"Well, why not."

* * *

Thomas sat in his office looking through the file that Campbell had given him earlier when he saw the blood smearing his fingers. He stared at the red staining his skin for a couple of seconds before putting the file in one of the drawers and getting up to take a drink. He cleaned his hand in a napkin while taking the bottle of whisky at the same time a knock could be heard on the door.

"Yes?" Lizzie opened the door, standing there to announce.

"Somebody to see you, Mr Shelby. He says he has come about the position of accounts clerk."

"Send him in." Tommy simply said before turning back to pour himself a drink.

"_Just through here, sir."_

"_Thank you."_

"Michael." There was a hint of surprise in Tommy's unreadable face, the boy smiled at him but the head of the Peaky Blinders just turned around to go back to his desk while talking. "Vacancy's been filled."

"Not according to this morning's paper." Michael had followed him, throwing said newspaper on his desk, right beside the glass of whiskey he had just placed there. The boy sat down on one of the chairs on the opposite side of the piece of furniture while Tommy stared down at him. "At school, I was top of the class in mathematics and I did a night-school course in accountancy at Worcester College." Tommy takes the glass from the desk and walks around to lean against the shelf behind his chair, observing his cousin talk. "Mum says you've had six different accountant clerks in the last six months. When respectable men see the other things you do, they leave. But I, like Lizzie out there, already know what you do. Mum says you want to be eighty percent legal within two years."

"Three."

"I can help. I know both sides and you know you can trust me. I want to help you, Tommy, become legal. Do the right thing. I want to be proud of this family." The gangster says nothing as he eyes the boy, glass of whisky still untouched in his hand.

"Does Polly know you're here, Michael?"

"I'm eighteen on Friday, I go where I please." Tommy step forward to the desk, places the glass on it to take the telephone and put it right in front of Michael.

"You phone your mother." He takes the glass and starts to leave the room but not before saying. "Good luck." Michael just observes the telephone for a few moments before making the call.

* * *

Esme is at the shop, organizing things to open when a loud knock is heard from the front door.

"We're not open for winnings yet."

"I'm here to see Thomas Shelby." A woman says from outside and she rushes to the door to see a beautiful rich woman waiting there. "I have an appointment."

"Come in." Esme rushes her inside, taking notice of the car waiting parked on the street. Closing the door behind her and locking it, she hurries up to stop in front of the strange woman that is looking around the shop. After a while, the stranger extends a hand to her, which she does not take.

"May Carleton."

"Mr. Shelby has his proper meetings in his other office."

"This was the address that he gave me."

"He gave you _this_ address?" Esme asked surprised.

"He said it was a gambling den. I told him that I've wanted to see one since I'm always reading about them in the papers. Quite the big scandal in the Telegraph lately." Rich people, Esme thought, always wanting to see how the peasants live. May noticed that the woman was still analyzing her and became quite uncomfortable. "Anyway, he said that I could come and have a look. And now I feel like a bit of an idiot because I'm early and he's late and I have no idea how to behave."

"In a gambling den?" There was a hint of mock on her tone, so May decided that the best thing to do was to leave and wait in another place.

"I'll wait in the car."

"If I open the door again, they'll all want to come in." Esme made quick work of putting the keys back in her front pocket. "Like flies." She starts doing her work again before asking to a very uncomfortable May. "So what are you?"

"W-what am I?" May asks, looking around.

"To Thomas?"

"I'm going to train his racehorse for Epsom." This seemed to take Esme's attention.

"You know horses?"

"Yes." May turned to look at the other woman. "You?"

"Born riding. I slept in a manger when I was a baby."

"I was born riding, too." May seems almost daydreaming when the door open only for John to come in and slam it shut.

"There's a fucking great Riley parked out there and nobody's watching it." He seems unaware of the woman's presence until he stops right in front of her.

"John, this woman says she's training Thomas' horse." He places the moneybags on the table and take a look at the woman in front of him.

"He's told us a lot about you."

"Don't know where he is, do you?" May asks, hopeful. There's a noise coming from the other door and soon Tommy walks in.

"Sorry, I'm late. There was a family matter. Esme, keep it locked up for a minute."

"Yes, Thomas."

"I'll show you around." He says approaching May and nodding for John to leave. "So be my guest." He leaned into one of the columns, lightening a cigarette while May starts walking around again. "That's my brother Arthur's office. Down there is my brother John's office - that's where we slate the runners and riders."

"It's so out in the open. What about the police?" She approaches him, curiously.

"What about them?" Tommy answers and May walks to the nearby table, leaning on it and looking directly at him.

"When I drove into Small Heath, I thought I was going to get murdered then I mentioned your name. It was like being escorted to see a king." The gangster barely acknowledges the comment, changing the subject.

"You came here to get my girl, right?"

"Right." He walks to the front door and she follows him after taking a last look around.

* * *

"She looks in very good condition, considering she's not been out on the gallops." Acknowledges May as Curly walks to them with the mare.

"Curly's the best horseman in England." Charlie says, smiling.

"I have a man called Mickey who'd argue the point." She walks around Curly to inspect the animal.

"Ah, but Curly here is half horse himself." Tommy says with a hint of a smile on his face as he pets the horse.

"She's blessed. Very blessed." It's visible that Curly is agitated when he makes the observation.

"Well, she's from the best stock." The woman says coming to stop on his side.

"But I'd rather have a colored pony. Mixed blood is stronger."

"Not to win the Derby, Curly." Tommy says to the gentle man.

"Don't like them racing, Tommy, not the way they beat them." Curly gives the reins to May. "She's all yours."

"Thank you." Then he leaves, clearly disturbed.

"He gets sad when one leaves." Explains Charlie.

"What time is your box van coming?" Tommy asks.

"Midday." She answers more focused on petting the horse.

"Maybe you've got time to take the lady to the Garrison, show her the spa and the tearooms." Thomas looks at his uncle and see the clear suggestion in his smirk and tone of voice, but just plays along and so does she.

"I'd like that, why not?" May says, looking at Tommy before they head to the pub.

"I just had it done up. There was a fire." He walks ahead of her, going behind the counter while she looks around.

"It's…"

"Yep." He throws the keys in the counter and asks her. "What do you drink?"

"So early, but gin." May takes off her gloves and sits on one of the chairs close to the bar. Tommy walks around, taking the bottle of gin and a glass, which he places in front of the woman and fills with the drink. "Goodness. With something?"

"Like what?" He asks a little annoyed as if she is saying something that doesn't make sense.

"Tonic water or…" He starts looking around.

"Hum, we have cordial." As he opens the bottle to pour it for her, Tommy points to the glass and says. "There's not much room in there but…" He turns around, helping himself a glass of whiskey. "You want to fuck me, Mrs. Carleton?" She swallows the alcohol she had just taken, looking at him surprised by his bluntness. "Perhaps because I… Perhaps because I represent something to you? We should have this conversation before the booze starts talking for us." He says while lightening another cigarette. She may deny it, but the way he treats it like a business transaction brings something in her that May haven't felt in a long while.

"You have a horse."

"Yes, I have a horse."

"The horse is why I'm here, purely that. And because you're paying me a lot of money to train your horse, that's why I'm here, purely that." May takes another sip of her drink while he observes her frown swallowing the drink.

"Good. Good. Well, a toast, then." He raises his glass but she hesitates. "To the horse, to the Derby."

"Cheers."

"Cheers."

"So is that what you say to women?" She asks placing her glass on the counter and looking at him.

"Only if I don't know what they want."

"And what if they don't want to fuck?"

"Then life is simpler."

"You want a simple life?" He scoffs, placing his hands on the counter before answering her, recognizing the real question hidden in her words.

"Do I look like a man who wants a simple life, eh?"

"So what do you want?" May takes the drink and takes a sip. Tommy leans closer to her, resting his elbows into the counter.

"For what I'm paying you, Mrs. Carleton, I want a horse that'll pay out at Epsom on an each-way bet." She takes the pack of cigars and the matches that he placed on the counter.

"Before I took your account, I did some credit checks on you." She lights the cigarettes and takes a drag. "Apparently, you don't exist." Tommy scratches the side of his head with the hand that holds the cigarette.

"My existence is questionable."

"Gypsies don't like registers."

"You see, I'm not a Gypsy like you mean."

"But you did register for France. I also sent your name to the War Office. I have friends there. You won two medals for gallantry." So he was right, she could be useful to them. Tommy puts his cigarette out on the ashtray before looking at her, seemingly unimpressed.

"Does that really impress you, Mrs. Carleton?"

"Call me May." The door to the pub opens and Finn comes in, eyeing the woman curiously.

"Charlie says the box van is here."

"Thank you, Finn." Tommy says and the boy leaves again.

"You know, I still don't know what you're going to call your horse." The gangster stops to think for a moment, remembering the little stolen time he had with Daphne a few nights ago - the way she quickly closed the locket when he arrived; the way her hazel eyes analyzed him with the piece between his fingers, never complaining about how he was closer to her than what was considered appropriate; how he still could feel the light pressure of her fingers on his.

"The horse will be called The Secret Locket."

"The Secret Locket." May ponders sipping the gin again.

* * *

"I told him he definitely can't take the job. He said: _"All right, I'll move to London, then."_. I said, I won't give in to blackmail. No is no." Polly is looking at Tommy from the mirror hanging in the wall while she puts her earrings – he was finishing putting his tie.

"Well that settles it, then. I'll give the job to the other candidate. He's much better qualified anyway." He says as he puts in his shoulder holster.

"Michael did City And Guilds - six months." The way she talks says clearly that even when she refuses to accept him doing the job, Polly wants Michael's achievements recognized.

"Yeah, but he doesn't know racing, Poll." Thomas takes a bottle from the table and serves his aunt a drink. "He knows horses, but he doesn't know racing. This other boy, he knows racing. He's good. He's a fast learner." She looks at him distressed, when he hands her the glass.

"What if Michael really leaves?" Polly sits down on one of the armchairs, placing the ashtray and her drink on the coffee table.

"You just got to let him go, Poll. He'll get a job in an office in London. I'm sure he'll write to you." Tommy gets his jacket in the clothes rack, putting it on.

"He made a big speech about wanting to help you build up a respectable business. Oh, he's like his dad, he could make me cry."

"There are trains to London."

"So I just let him leave?" Her tone is incredulous.

"Every month or so he'd be back." Thomas takes the cigarette from the ashtray to take a drag. "Unless of course he meets a girl. Then, who knows?"

"Oh, my God. You want him to do this job." The older woman looks at him quizzically.

"Polly, I want what you want." Polly knows him well enough to recognize what he is doing, the tone of his voice, the way he looks at her. It's not very common for Thomas Shelby don't get what he wants. She gets up, drink and cigarette in hand.

"What about this other more qualified candidate?"

"Mmm, well, I lied, there isn't one."

"How much are you paying?" There is a hint of a smile in his face.

"The advertised rate."

"Like hell."

"Three bob."

"Like hell."

"Three and six."

"Four." He gives in.

"Four it is." She spits on her hand and extends it to him, to seal the deal. Tommy does the same.

"I love him, Tom." Polly looks at him, her expression serious.

"I know. That's why I'll keep him away from the old business, put him charge of the new. Agreed?"

"Agreed." He helps her put her coat on and walks to the door but she stops him. "One more thing before we leave.

"What is it?" He asks with a frown.

"The woman." Polly intentionally throws the bait to see if he is going to bite - and he does.

"What about Daphne?"

"She hides something." He was not the only one who noticed how she the young woman seemed to have a habit of playing with the locket hanging from her neck when she was distracted or when somebody mentioned family matters. But it wasn't just that. Polly had seen the hurt in her eyes, like something had been broken inside of her - she was all smiles and pleasantries with everybody but she held a sadness rooted deep down on her, something that she kept from the outside world, something that the gipsy woman was used to see in her own nephew after the war.

"I know. I'm already working on discovering it."

"Do you want to discover it because of the business or there are other interests at stake?" He scoffs before answering her.

"Polly…"

"Thomas. You are a smart man. You've already been fooled by love once…"

"It's not like that." The way he punctuates every word just confirms her suspicious even more – he is, indeed, falling for the girl.

"Yes, it is. I see it in your eyes and I saw it in hers." He looks at her them, a little surprised by the revelation. "I said that you had to forget the barmaid, that there would be others. You've been sleeping around since them but now you have to have in mind that she's not some common woman, Thomas. She is under Solomons's protection and you have to have that in mind before you let your cock take your decisions for you."


	5. Chapter 5

They were both sitting at the table, breakfast served, newspaper on their hands and silence filling the place. Cyril was sprawled out on Daphne's feet enjoying the little ray of sunshine entering through the window. Things have been surprisingly good in the Solomons's household.

"The Blinders took the Eden Club." She said nonchalantly, taking a sip of her coffee, neither of them taking their eyes out of the paper.

"I heard."

"Are we ignoring it them?"

"For now." She sighed, resigned, knowing that he wasn't going to talk anyway.

"Will you need me next Wednesday?" Alfie lowered his newspaper at that, observing the woman who still had the object hiding her face.

"Not that I remember. Do you have something planned?" She folded the paper, putting it aside on the table and looking up at him.

"Polly Gray invited me for tea." He blinked once, twice, before folding his own journal and throwing it beside hers.

"Isn't this Thomas's aunt?" There was a hint of surprise on his voice. He remembered the woman from Daphne's party, she seemed skeptical of the young woman the whole night, watching her from aside, trying to make Daphne slip on her words. It did not made any sense that the gypsy woman would invite her for tea without ulterior motives. Unless… Unless that she had seen what Alfie had been trying to ignore since the first time that Thomas Shelby had put his feet at the bakery – or more precisely, since the first time he had laid his eyes on Daphne.

"Yes, it is."

"Are you considering her offer?"

"Maybe." He scratched his beard, not taking his eyes of hers. Daphne could almost hear the gears working inside his head.

"Well, it could be good to build up trust, you know. She seemed a little guarded around you."

"She was analyzing me. Both of us, for that matter." She took a sip of her coffee.

"Yeah, but she seems to have picked more interest in you than in old, creepy me." Daphne rolled her eyes at that – he wasn't that much older than she was.

"We are women, Alfie, sometimes we see things that you men don't."

"Like the fact that Will still loves you?" His statement surprised her. Alfie was like a brother to her, they talked about almost everything and he was one of the first that had the courage to point out that William had fallen for her in France. "You can't tell me that I was the only one who noticed the staring contest between him and our darling Thomas." She stayed silent, looking at his blue eyes to try to discover where he wanted to go with this conversation. "I'm not stupid, Daph, I've been fighting your suitors since we came back from France, I know when a man looks at you as something more than the powerful businesswoman that works with the mad Jew. And _that_ is the way Thomas Shelby looks at you." He propped his elbows onto the table, hands placed together underneath his chin. "And don't go telling me that he is curious about us because we're past this point now." She smiled, a genuine one, and Alfie had to fight the urge to not do the same.

"He _is_ curious."

"Well, you know what they say, curiosity killed the cat." She saw the smirk on his face and the joke in his tone.

"Are you planning to?"

"It depends on where his curiosity is leading him." Daphne really wanted to believe in him but there was something in the way he talked that told her that he was willing to do what it takes to keep Thomas Shelby from getting too close to her. "You go on and met Polly, aye. See if you can discover something useful to us. Either way, it may be good being on her good sides." It would come in handy having her out of the bakery if he was going to do what he was planning. Alfie knew her for a fair amount of time to recognize the signs – she was falling for the Brummie gangster.

Since they met, Alfie never saw Daphne show any interest in a romantic relationship. She flirted just alright, could lead men on to think that they had a chance of winning her when the truth was far from that. He even suspected that she and William had some kind of fling at some point. But he also knew that the doctor wanted more – he had talked to Alfie about it in a drunken haze one night. He said that he would rather be in her life as only a friend than not being in her life at all. There is no need to say that they never talked about that ever again.

Yet, he had discussed the topic with Daphne a few times – he was protective of her but it didn't meant that he didn't wanted her to be happy, which he truly did. He was a bad man, by society standards, that is, he always had been. Taking what he wanted, manipulating people, lying, deceiving, beating, killing… his whole life. She was completely the opposite – gentle, caring and loving, with a fierce personality and courage that would put any man he knew to shame. Daphne deserved the world – but she did not believed in that. Not after the war. Not after losing everything, after being unmade and having to pick up the pieces. So she ignored everything, everything that could make her feel alive – including the hint of attraction that she felt for William and with that any chance that he had of convincing her that they could be good together.

Considering all of that knowledge, Alfie found a little amusing, at first, the sudden interest that Thomas Shelby had shown towards her the first time they met. It was subtle, the Brummie was not a man that used to show his emotions freely, but the Jew caught his gaze and recognized the curiosity there. And she was right, indeed, because in the beginning all that Tommy wanted was to discover what her connection with Alfie was. But that changed quickly when he learned that she had no romantic involvement with the Jew and he was more than surprised when he saw the hint of interest in Daphne's eyes the day Tommy brought his man to the bakery.

Alfie didn't liked the path things were starting to run up to, so he decided to play his cards and deal with things his own way. Thomas Shelby was no good men and that wasn't the first time he crossed somebody to his own benefit so he shouldn't feel guilty for behaving like the gangster he was. Then why he felt like he was doing something wrong?

* * *

Thomas was leaning onto the dresser, reading the newspaper and smoking while he waited for his brothers and aunt.

"Are you alright?" Polly asked when she entered through the front door, taking off her gloves and going to sit by the fire to try and warm up. Tommy clears his throat, throwing the paper in one of the chairs and taking the bottle on the table.

"What is it? Just us?" Arthur asks, curious, standing beside his younger brother.

"Just us." Thomas uncorks the bottle and starts pouring the liquid into the three glasses displayed on the table.

"Are we celebrating?"

"Just taste this." Tommy hands the glasses to each of them. Arthur and John sit on the lovesit, the eldest Shelby takes the drink in one gulp.

"What do you think, Arthur?"

"Yeah, it's good. Good stuff, really nice. Too good for the Garrison. I suppose we could shift it to the toffs at the Eden Club. Why? What is it?" He asks, curious like the other two. Tommy starts explaining while Arthur takes the bottle and pours himself another glass.

"That is part of an export drive. We now have a secure warehouse in Camden Town and secure passage to the Poplar Docks. So, on Monday morning, we'll be sending out our first export crate. A crate of Riley car spares bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia."

"Where there's prohibition." Polly finishes for him. He gives her a half smirk, pointing at her with the hand that holds the cigarette.

"Where there is prohibition. All over Canada and America, people are making their own booze in bathtubs. But rich people in New York, in Toronto and Boston are still paying a lot of money for the real stuff. So, on Monday, the first Shelby company crate will contain a thousand Riley carburetors. But hidden in the packing will be five hundred bottles of the finest quality single malt Scotch whisky." Polly is examining the bottle that Arthur had put back on the table. "And we, Shelby's, have a license granted by the Minister Of The Empire himself, which means our crates won't be searched." Thomas sees the hesitation in his aunts demeanor. "And, Polly, all of the whisky will be packed at the docks, so Michael can do the books without being involved. Like I've been telling you all for a year now motor cars are the future."

* * *

"So, how is your life then, Tom?"

"On the up, Johnny, on the up." Tommy is supervising the shipment of the crate while smoking a cigarette.

"But, Tom, really, come on, how is it?" The gypsy steps closer to Tommy, hands on his waist. "You know I hate to see you not even married yet. I have a fine looking cousin, she'll make your life hell. You deserve her!" He laughs and the gangster smiles a little. "We haven't had a good old wedding in a long time." The gangster can do little to stop the image that his brain conjures in his head - Daphne, standing at the altar in a white dress veil upon her face. Damn, woman for making him want things he can't have. He is quick to go back into business.

"Have you had a look inside these boxes, then, Johnny?" The man is carrying boxes to the boat and tries to run away from the gangster's question.

"What do I want to look at car parts, Tommy, when I haven't even got a car?"

"Faith in family is a fine thing, eh? And I wouldn't even be counting. If twenty five becomes twenty four, then twenty four it is." Tommy walks closer to him, stopping by his side.

"Oh, you know I'm no good with numbers, Tom." The gangster puts his arm around Johnny's shoulders.

"And if 24 ever became 23 then that'd be tax. We don't pay tax." The man looks at him clearly frightened.

"No, Tom."

"Good man." Tommy pats his back and makes his way to the stairs of the warehouse,, where he mets Billy Kimber.

"I put an iron door on, and we've put iron bars on the windows and across the skylights."

"Good." The gangster passes by Billy and the man follows him up.

"So what will you be keeping in here, Tommy?"

"Temptation, Billy. Temptation."

* * *

"Morning, Arthur. I was just passing." The eldest Shelby is fucking a woman on one of the couches of the club, pointing a gun at the alleged threat entering the room. Tommy just walks by, going directly to the back room take a look at the books.

"I think I'm in fucking love." Arthur takes a few minutes to go met his brother, appearance disheveled and still breathing a little heavy. "Drink!" He becomes one of the waiters and sits down in front of Tommy, buttoning his shirt. "She don't know where to look." The waiter comes with a bottle of whiskey and two glasses. "Whisky, Tommy?"

"No, I've got a long drive ahead." The younger Shelby is deeply concentrated in the number in front of him,

"You off home?" Arthur asks, serving himself a glass of the alcohol.

"Mm-hmmm. Eventually."

"To Birmingham." The eldest Shelby raises his glass before taking the shot.

"What's this?" Tommy asks turning a page and tapping his fingers on it. "Olives."

"Yes, it's miscellaneous. It's, erm, olives. Sticks, you know, with little bits of fucking onion and things. That's what that is." Arthur gestures while speaking and Tommy just stares at him.

"We've taken six hundred pounds on olives." The older man seems a little unset

"Yeah, with little bits of onion." Tommy takes a drag of his cigarette before speaking, very calmly.

"I told you, Arthur, the dealers sell the cocaine, we take a cut. We don't sell direct. The Home Secretary's cracking down and I don't want this to fuck up everything else, you understand?

"I understand."

"How much of that six hundred came out of your pocket?"

"It's under control." Arthur says after a while, pouring himself another drink.

"I put you down here because people are scared of you, Arthur. But if you don't straighten up, it'll be John's turn in London."

"No need. I can handle it."

"It's under control?"

"It's under control." Tommy closes the book in front of him, leaning back in the chair and crossing his legs while Arthur downs the whisky.

"Fucking tidy profit, though, eh?" They both smile, while Arthur looks around.

"It's happening, Tom."

"Good. Good." Thomas gets up, taps the book on the table and leaves but not before shouting to his brother. "Straighten up, soldier." Arthur kneads his fingers through his hair, finishing to button up his shirt and taking the money from the table.

"Yes, sir, Sergeant Major."

* * *

After knocking on his sister's door and waiting for her to open the door for him, Tommy it's taken a little by surprise when he is received by a young man.

"I'm looking for Ada."

"Who are you?" Thomas just pushes him away and marches into the house, the man follows him.

"Ada." He greets her sister.

"I asked you a question." Tommy turns to face the man that had just passed through the living room door.

"It's all right, James. This is my brother." The woman doesn't bother herself by the presence of her older brother.

"Who's he?" Tommy asks and Ada answers nonchalantly.

"He rents a room."

"You need to rent out rooms?"

"Actually, she doesn't charge rent." James answers instead.

"He's a writer, which means he's skint."

"You get up late these days, Ada."

"Mm. I go to bed late."

"Yeah? Where's Karl?"

"What do you want, Tommy?" Ada lowers the paper in her hands and notices that Tommy analysing James and is quick to say. "Oh, God, before you start sizing him up for a wedding suit, he's not interested in me. Or in girls of any kind."

"Ada!" The writer reprehends her.

"What? Tommy won't judge you." She goes on reading the paper again. "He sure as hell won't go to the police."

"Look, I'll go and get dressed." James makes a move to leave but Tommy stops him.

"James I'm Thomas." The gangster extends a hand to him. "Pleased to meet you." The young man seems a little unsure, but reaches for Thomas's hands, shaking it. "Can I have a minute with my sister, please?"

"Yes, of course." He leaves the room and Thomas takes a seat on the couch, looking around and then at his sister.

"So, does your lodger know your name?"

"Yeah. Thorne. You think I'd tell anybody anything else? Your Brummie boys are all over the papers. Just one last push, eh? Then you'll go legit? Just one more obstacle to get round then it'll all be straight?"

"Actually, yes." Tommy seems unamused by her commentaries. Ada scoffs before talking again.

"Personally, I find it quite amusing. Men like you are becoming very fashionable down here. No society party in London is complete without a gangster for the girls to go giddy for. Anyway, what is it that you want?"

"I don't have any children, Ada." That takes her attention. "So I have set up a trust fund. The beneficiaries will be John's kids and Karl. In order for Karl to benefit, I need your signature." He takes a paper from the inner pocket of his coat, unfolding it and putting it onto the table for her to take. "I've set up an account. Money will be transferred in the event of my death. It'll set them up for a new life." Ada folds the newspaper, putting it aside to take the thing he has left on the table.

"Are you sick?"

"I'm just doing what any ordinary man would, putting my affairs in order." She paused for a minute or two, reading the terms of the trust fund.

"And putting your affairs in order includes admitting that you feel something for Daphne?" Since he had came to her asking about the woman, Ada had been dying to ask him about it. After her conversation with Daphne and seeing the way they both looked at each other at her birthday party, the Shelby sister was more than convinced that there was something in the water. Tommy rolls his eyes, scoffing at his sister but she doesn't give him a chance to talk. "Wherever it is that you are doing that made you think about putting up a trust fund for your nephews certainly is trouble enough to make you stop moping around because of that damn barmaid and move on to someone that's worth."

"And Daphne is." Ada sighs, irritated by his cold façade.

"You know what, Tommy. Go on and keep on pretending that you don't care about anybody anymore. Keep on lying to yourself about what you really feel. Maybe that way she can have a chance with somebody that bloody deserves her!"

"I don't know if that man really exists."

* * *

Daphne was sitting at the cafe, book in hand and a cup of tea in front of her, appreciating the piece and quiet when she noticed the man coming towards her. She knew that it was just a matter of time, she had already noticed that Finn had been following her all day, it was obvious that it had something to do with his older brother's doings.

"Mr. Shelby." She lifted her gaze to met his and saw the little hint of surprise in there.

"Miss Scott, a surprise to find you here."

"Really. You mean that the fact that Finn is out there in the cold taking guard to see what time I arrived is totally coincidence." He gave her a sideway smirk at her cleverness. He wasn't expecting to get caught so easily. "Call the poor boy inside." Thomas beckoned the younger blinder inside and in a minute he was by her side, looking at his brother a little concerned that he would get reprimanded.

"Hello, Daph."

"Hello, Finn. Why don't you go to the counter and ask Mary for a sweet? On my behalf." He looked at his older brother for permission before thanking her and walking towards the counter. Tommy pointed at the chair in front of her.

"May I?" She closed her book, putting it aside.

"Be my guest." The waiter came to the table immediately and she asked for more tea and something for them to eat before Tommy had a chance to talk. When the waiter left he was looking at her, smirking. "So what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit outside of the bakery?"

"I was just passing by, thought that would be good to see you." The warmth that spread through her was something that Daphne wasn't weren't friends, they were just business partners and all that considered he was still a stranger for her - what little information she had of him, besides one or two things confided to her by Ada, was mostly business related. However, for some reason that she couldn't quite understand, the simple fact of this man sitting in front of her and saying that he thought that would be good to see her in such a casual manner, like it was something that he had been thinking about for a while, made her heart flutter.

"Everything alright with the first crate of Shelby Brothers Limited?" He smiled as he noticed the faint blush on her cheeks and the fact that she was redirecting the topic. It seemed that Daphne Scott would never cease to find a way to amaze him in some way.

"All going according to the plan." There was silence again as the waiter came back with the food but they never averting their gaze from each other more than what was strictly necessary. Daphne thanked the waiter and took a sip of her tea. "How's the preparations for your friend's wedding?" If she thought that his inquiry was strange she didn't showed it.

"Rushed but going well despite William's complaints." At the mention of the doctor's name Daphne saw Thomas's flinch but he quickly regained his composure.

"You seem pretty close." He took a sip of his own tea trying to put the image of the doctor hugging Daphne to the back of his mind.

"Yeah, we know each other for a long time. William is a good friend." He made a little pout murmuring a "hmm" and then there was silence. Being under his stare was never unsettling, not like it was with other people sometimes, she felt surprisingly comfortable with the silence in a similar way than what she felt around Alfie. But the Jew was right - like Ada and Harriet - there was something in the way he looked at her, something that wasn't just curiosity. He looked at her like he knew something about her that she hadn't figured it out yet and she had to admit that she felt compelled to discover what it was.

"Friend." The word was said as if it contained venon. "I see."

"He's a good man." She said casually and he scoffed at that.

"Yeah, I bet he is every mother's dream for her daughter. Any particular reason to way he's not married yet?" She arched and eyebrow at him.

"Any reason to why _you_ are not married yet?"

"I am not a good man." Thomas leaned back into the chair, analysing her piercing gaze.

"I doubt that this is a hindrance, lost count of how many women I saw daydreaming about marrying Alfie." She smiled, biting a scone and taking her time chewing it. "There are people that are drawn to danger."

"Are you?" There was the glint in his eyes again and Daphne paused for a moment before answering him.

"If I feared danger I wouldn't live with a gangster." It was a bold affirmation and he noticed that she did nothing to conceal it. He looked around, people seemed too absorbed into their own conversation to eavesdrop, even then, he was surprised by her bluntness. Thomas let the statement sink in with a prickle of satisfaction, a smirk creeping into his features. "You didn't touched your food."

"Not hungry."

"Would you disregard me like that?" He knew what she was doing, trying to guilt trip him, so he decided to entertain her and began to eat. She seemed rather satisfied with herself as she took another bite of her scone, smiling.

"Are you going?" Tommy gave her a confused look, like he had been distracted. "To the wedding."

"Do you want me too go?" The question caught Daphne by surprise even when she knew that the leader of the Peaky Blinders's boldness. Yet, there was no surprise to her in figuring out that yes, she did want him there.

"Don't get me wrong, Mr. Shelby, but you don't seem like a man that cares about anyone else's opinion." He rested his elbows on the table, leaning in closer.

"And if I care about yours?" She felt lost in his gaze, lost into this strange feeling that she had around him. But the moment had come and go just as fast when Josiah approached her, informing that she was needed at the bakery. So she had to excuse herself, getting up to leave. Daphne extended her hand for him to shake, like usual, and was taken by surprise when his rough fingers turned hers around, guiding them to his lips. He kissed her knuckles, a barely there touch, but his azure eyes stared at her conceding everything that he did not say. "See you then."


	6. Chapter 6

N/A: Hi, people! I'm sorry for not appearing here on the other chapter's, I keep forgetting to add the Author's Note. I just want to thank you all for giving this story a chance, especially _Idcam_ for being so kind and always reviewing it.

Some warnings before you start reading this chapter (_or after, because is basically information about somethings mentioned during this chapter and it could be interpreted as spoilers, so it's up to you_): **1.** I know that according to the audio of "The Ballad of Tommy Shelby" the boys enlisted in 1915, but as andtherewerefireworks pointed out on Tumblr, this doesn't fit with the historical facts and informations given by the show (as a lot of other thing's don't, but apparently Steven doesn't give a fuck about it - don't let me get started) so I ignored this piece of information - the boys enlisted in 1914 instead and the world makes sense again; **2.** I did some research to know more about military nurses and took a poetic license to ignore the age that was permited for women to enlist at the time; **3.** Kugel really is a Jewish dish and I am shamelessly entertaining my headcanon that Alfie does, in fact, cook/bake. Sorry, not sorry. **4.** Have I mentioned that sometimes I hate Steven? Because I do. There were somethings that took me a lot of time to figure out between episodes 04 and 05 of the third season and I am still not sure about somethings, so if you feel confused about something you're more than welcome to come talk to me and I can explain it.

Thatt's it. Hope you enjoy and let me know what you think.

* * *

Alfie Solomons was never known for a man who has a lot of patience, no, people tend to think that he actually has none at all but that is far from the truth. God knows that he had to have a lot of fucking patience to get where he is now, Alfie is a man who is always waiting for the right moment to do the things that would benefit him the most. And that was what he was doing right now - waiting to see if the decision he has made would, in fact, bring him any good.

The doors of the bakery were opened by two of his men and Sabini came into view - the italian flag on his hands, three of his men behind him and his second in command, Matteo, with a white flag by his side. They approached each other, the Jew gave the Italian the basket of bread that was immediately passed over to Matteo, before he stepped closer to Alfie giving him the standard three kisses on the checks as a form of greeting.

"I can't help but notice that there is a presence in absence here today. Isn't Miss Scott joining us?" Alfie was kinda expecting that since the Italian seemed to have a soft spot for the young woman, but the question almost made him frown for entirely different reasons. Daphne had left hours before to go to Birmingham and meet with Polly Gray, she didn't knew about the meeting or his plans but somehow that didn't make Alfie worry less about her like he thought it would.

"Daphne is out in another appointment. Just us today, so let's talk, eh?" Sabini shared a look with Matteo before nodding to Alfie guide them through the bakery. The Jew sat on one side of the table with Ollie by his side, cane propped up in front of him, his hands resting on top of it, while Sabini and Matteo did the same at the other side, their men behind them and a menacing silence filling the room until the Italian leader spoke.

"Did you know they was going to take the Eden club?"

"I know about the Eden club, yes."

"Did you know they were going to do it before they did it? Because that's the one who's in charge, isn't it? The one who knows before it happens."

"I know what I know, you know. If you don't know, then you don't fucking know, do you?"

"Did you know they was going to take Wimbledon dogs? Harringay? The trotting tracks?"

"Talk, all right? I genuinely want to hear you."

"You've lost control, Alfie." Matteo was the one to talk, making Alfie look at him in concealed anger.

"Have I?"

"Everybody knows." The Italian added.

"Talk to me, Alfie." Sabini said, interrupting the argument and making Alfie's attention go back to him again.

"Talk to you?" The Jew paused for emphasis. "All right, I'll talk to you. I'll fucking tell you how it was, right? What happened was this. All the time you were talking about dirty fucking Jews. All the fucking time - dirty fucking Jews, dirty Kikes, dirty dustbin lids…" The Italian leader shared a look with Matteo again.

"Everyone makes jokes."

"You want to talk about not getting into places?"

"Everybody makes fucking jokes. I didn't know you had no sense of humour!"

"And I ain't going to FUCKING mention, right, the great big fuck off elephant in the room." Sabini closes his eyes for a brief moment before talking again.

"Look, Alfie…"

"How many of my bookies worked Epsom this last May? None. None. Not one."

"So, for a few fucking jokes and Epsom, you fucking invite a tribe of savages into the city and just fucking unlock the fucking gates!" While Sabini is yeeling and gesticulating frantically with his hands Alfie is just sitting there, not even bored by it.

"I'm sorry, what are you saying, mate?"

"I'm saying I'm sorry about the Jew thing." To say that Sabini seemed bothered by his own words would be an understatement because he was completely put off by it, to Alfie's deepest contentment.

"Are you saying you're sorry?" Patience, patience always paid back in kind.

"Yeah."

"You're sorry about the Jew thing?"

"Yeah."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"I want that in writing." He turned to Ollie. Write that down. He said, _'I'm sorry'_." Looking at Sabini again he continued. "And also write down that all our bookies can go back to Epsom."

"He didn't say that." Matteo barged in.

"Who's asking you?"

"No. Write it down. It's all right. Come on. Alfie's an old friend."

"My friend." The Jew gangster says while staring at Matteo and pointing at Sabini.

"Now, admit it, the Peaky Blinders is out of control."

"Yeah, they're out of fucking control, mate. They come down the canal, they spread like the fucking clap." Although the kind of problem that the Blinders have gotten to the Jew were ones fairly different, the Italian didn't needed to know.

"Right. So now they're everybody's problem."

"Yeah."

"Alfie."

"Mm."

"You and me, we've been fighting since we was at school."

"Yeah."

"All right? Now, also, we've been friends."

"Mm, yeah."

"You know, it goes backwards and forwards. How much better is it when we're friends?"

"Oh, it's much better, mate, yeah."

"You write that down." Ollie looks at Alfie that just nods at the younger man.

"So what we're doing here, right, is we're writing down some kind of a deal thing, right?"

"Yeah, a written deal."

"Written deal, good. Well, why don't we discuss the border between the Italians and the Jews going back to Farringdon Road."

"Farringdon Road"

"Yeah, Farringdon Road."

"Fuck! That's ancient history."

"Write down Farringdon Road."

"No, no, no, write down Camden Road."

"Farringdon Road."

"Camden Road."

"Write down Farringdon."

"Camden."

"Farringdon."

"Camden. Write down Camden Road."

"Just write down 'peace'. Just write down 'peace', right, between the Jews and the Italians."

"And war against the gypsies." Alfie just grumbles to the statement, thinking to himself about how Daphne will react when she discovers his plans. It certainly won't be pretty and for the first time in a long while the Jew gangster starts to rethink his actions.

* * *

Daphne was waiting at the parlour in the Shelby family home on Watery Lane, the youngest Shelby was the one who guided her there saying that his aunt was coming in a minute and then leaving her alone since Josiah had chosen to wait for her outside, in the car. The young woman took off her coat and hang it on the coat rack on the wall just beside the front door, deciding to take a look around instead of sitting down.

There were a lot of photographs hanging on the walls and on top of the furniture, most of them were of the Shelby's children growing up. Daphne recognized a young Ada and a little Finn in one of them, just beside the fireplace there was a photograph of each one of the Shelby siblings but what caught her attention almost immediately was the portrait of the three eldest Shelby boys in their uniforms. Her fingers automatically went to her locket, caressing the metal as a way to soothe her own thoughts.

"They were taken just before they left." She must have been really distracted because she only noticed that her hostess arrived when she was already closing the door, taking off her own coat and approaching her. The gipsy woman noticed that Daphne was yet again playing with the necklace hanging from her neck. They shook hands before the both of them turned to look at the images again. "I'm sorry for making you wait, there were things that needed my attention."

"Don't bother, I've had only been here for minute." Silence filled the room but unlike what Daphne expected it wasn't a discomfortable one.

"It feels like it was a lifetime ago." There was this hint of sadness that Daphne knew too well when people who had loved ones on the war usually had when talking about that period.

"And at the same time it seems like it was yesterday." Polly looked at her then, surprise in her features.

"You've been there." Daphne took a deep breath, not looking at the woman beside her when she spoke.

"Yeah. Whole four years of it."

"My God, you must have been only a child when it started." The young woman felt quite amused by the motherly concern in Polly's voice.

"Eighteen."

"You're almost John's age then. He was nineteen when he left. Arthur was twenty seven and Thomas twenty four." When Daphne looked at her still observing the pictures there was a hint of a smile on her face. "They were so different, so full of life."

"None of us came back the same. We all left a part of ourselves there." As her hand rested in her chest, feeling the all too familiar form of her locket through the fabric Daphne thought that she certainly had lost a part of herself there, a part of her that she would never recover.

"You sound like Tommy." Daphne smiled at that, shaking her head briefly while Polly observed her with a mixture of admiration and curiosity.

"It's not the first time that I hear it."

"Come, I will make us some tea." They headed themselves to the kitchen were Daphne sat at the table while Polly walked around preparing things for the tea. When the pot was ready she served them both a cup and sat down.

"You've caused quite the impression on the boys." Daphne quietly sipped on her tea. She didn't know what to expect of the encounter, what she did knew was that Polly was baiting at her, getting her out of her comfort zone to see how she reacted and further analyze her especially now that Alfie wasn't around. But one thing that Daphne have learned from experience was that people involuntary let their guard down at home and even knowing that Polly had another house to call her own now, this was the one she passed most part of the time in still, the one where she lived most part of the last years and the one she still called home.

"A good impression, I hope." The gipsy woman looked at her, smirking slightly, the action a little warmer than the cold demeanor that she had showed on the party.

"Ah, it was good just alright! I think Arthur is still teasing John for trying to flirt with you."

"He had it coming." Polly laughed, really laughed and Daphne couldn't help but smile too.

"He sure did, but I gotta say that he is not used at being rejected. None of them are, really." The young woman choose not to answer that, just smiling and sipping at her tea again and Polly decided to change the subject. "You and Ada know each other for long?"

"Yeah, it's been a while. Before Freddie fell ill."

"You've met him?" Polly was surprised that the two women knew each other for that long.

"Once or twice, he was more running from the coopers than at home." Polly scoffed at that, getting up to take the food and put it on the table. "You didn't approved of them." It wasn't a question but Polly answered anyway.

"Freddie was a good man, I just wish that he knew how to prioritize his family instead of the cause." Daphne nodded in understanding, since she befriended Ada she had had quite some debates with herself about the way the Thorne's lived. It was hard for Daphne to understand how Ada accepted living on the run because of love, her parents were not exactly the image of true love - an arranged marriage, like the one she was supposed to have if she hadn't gone to France - even though she believed that her mother had loved her father at some point, the other way around was definitely not true.

"I never really understood how Ada accepted living like that but I don't have much to compare so I tried not to judge her for it."

"No lad caught your attention after you came back?" The gipsy woman took a sip of her tea before continuing. "Or during your time in France?" Daphne had a pretty good guess that she must be talking about William since she had seen them together at the party.

"No. Not that way." The older woman just nodded, eyes trained on the other woman's reactions.

"Not even Solomons? He is not hard on the eyes and you two seemed quite close." Daphne laughed at the statement - people seemed to never give up on the subject of her and Alfie being a couple.

"Alfie is family." The way she said it, so naturally, so devoid of doubt made Polly think that their bound was deeper than she first predicted. Polly was certain that there was more to their relationship than what they let people know - Alfie Solomons wasn't a man known for his honesty or loyalty, nevertheless, the woman in front of her had been by his side since the end of the war.

It was obvious to her too that the man who was observing her and Tommy from the mezzanine during the party felt more than just friendship towards her but it seemed that Daphne didn't reciprocate it - which, apparently, left the way clear for Tommy and that's where the lived the danger. Then she decided to make a bold move.

"Let me read your leaves." Daphne was quite taken aback by the request, she blinked twice before answering the gipsy woman.

"Why not." Polly was surprised that she accepted the request so easily - maybe more surprised by that than by the fact that she had requested to read the girl's leaves in the first place.

"Pour some tea into the cup and swirl it." The young woman did what she was told. "Now put the tea back into the teapot." Polly extended her hand for Daphne to give her the cup, after taking it she gave one last glance towards the young woman before starting to analyze the cup.

"There's happiness in your future but there is also a lot of pain." Silence filled the room while the older woman swirled the teacup in her hands. "You will be betrayed and have your heart broken. You will also find something that you thought was lost." Polly rested the cup into the table and looked up to meet Daphne's hazel eyes in silence for a long time before she finally spoke again. "You seem like a good girl, Daphne, and if I didn't thought that I wouldn't say to you what I'm gonna say now: be careful. Love is a good thing but sometimes it can blind us and that's when we get hurt."

* * *

When Tommy arrived home at the end of the day one of the first things that he noticed was the teacup resting on the kitchen table. He picked it up, looking at the leaves inside it and directing his gaze to his aunt who was observing him, sipping her own cup of tea while leaning onto the kitchen counter.

"Lizzie's been here for you to read her leaves again, Poll? You still leading her own…"

"It wasn't Lizzie." He recognized the smug look on his aunt's face - she was leading him to something, the teacup left onto the table was a bait for him to talk to her, it was all part of her plan. He put the cup back where he found it and turned around to pour himself a drink.

"Then who was the poor soul that was believing in your predictions?"

"Daphne. She left just some minutes ago." He stopped for a brief moment but it was enough for Polly to notice. Daphne had been here? How he didn't know that?

"Didn't think that she would be one for these kind of stuff." He turned around, glass of whisky in his hand and her aunt's gaze still on him and his curiosity got the best of him. "What did you find out?" By the smile on his aunt's face he knew that this is what she wanted all along.

"That she is a good girl - too good for you." Tommy huffed at the statement taking a sip of his drink - he didn't need any tea leaves to know that. "She will have her heart broken by the man that she loves." Polly walked to her nephew, stopping right in front of him and holding his gaze. "Will you be that man, Tommy?" He just stood there nursing his drink, long before the woman had left. He had vowed to himself to never let another woman into his heart again, not after Grace, but it was difficult to remember that when he was around Daphne. She was constantly proving him wrong, challenging him, sneaking into his family's good graces. Would he be the one to break her heart or would it be the other way around?

* * *

Alfie was waiting for her when she arrived home - sitting on his usual chair in the balcony of the drawing room, humming something to himself. Daphne approached him and called his name but he didn't seemed to notice, to lost on his thoughts.

"Everything alright?" He looked at her then, his attention caught by the hand she gently placed on his shoulder, the woman could tell that he seemed a little off just by the expression on his face.

"Yeah, yeah." The Jew got up from his chair to stand in front of her. "How was tea with the gypsies?"

"It was just Polly. Everything went fine, she is actually very hospitable."

"Hum. Good." He didn't seemed less tense after her answer. "I've made you some kugel for dessert, I know it is your favorite." Daphne frowned at that.

"There is some special occasion that I'm forgetting? You haven't cooked in ages." He stared at her in silence for a long moment before answering.

"No, just appreciating the company, love."

"Well, thank you, kind sir. I'm just going to take a bath and we can have dinner then." Alfie nodded at her, letting her go upstairs while he just observed as she disappeared. He really hoped that at least for one time in his life he was doing the right thing.

* * *

As Tommy drove to the Carleton's property he thought about his next steps. May had showed her interest in him and he was going to play his cards to ensure that his horse would be able to run the Epsom. She had also mentioned having contacts at the War Office and that could grant them information on Daphne. He just wasn't expecting the extent of the Carleton's wealthiness.

"Mr. Thomas Shelby, madam." One of the maids announced him and Tommy entered the room without a second glance at the girl.

"Nice house." He says as he looks around and approaches May, who is looking at him a little unsure. It was more than nice house, probably the most expensive fucking place he had put his foot on during his entire life.

"Would you like a whisky? Scotch or Irish?"

"Irish." She turns her back to him to serve the drink and he takes the time to look out the window, taking a cigarette from his case. "Sorry for the short notice. I was passing."

"We're not quite on the Birmingham road."

"It was a small diversion."

"Sixty miles, I checked."

"That's a small diversion these days." He says, approaching her and lightening the cigarette that is already between his lips.

"So, I'm a small diversion. Good." She hands him the whiskey before taking a sip of hers. "Your horse is still out on the gallops, but I had Mickey prepare this report. You can read it now if you'd like, then we can go see her." May hands him the file with the reports and he rests it on the table, starting to scan the pages as he clears his throat. "Is there enough light for you to read?"

"Yes, it's fine."

"It's getting quite late." She sits down on the couch, Tommy doesn't react to her words and continues to read the report but he notices that she is nervous. "Mickey says she has the lungs of an elephant. She's nimble in the heavy going, but bounces a little on the hard ground. Sorry, I'll let you read."

"So, he thinks she'll favor good to soft ground, eh?" Tommy closes the file while talking.

"A little juice in the grass."

"Mm. Well, that's good for Epsom." He pauses, looking at her and placing his empty glass on the table. "Does he think she's not good enough for Epsom?"

"She needs a lot of work." May observes as he takes a drag from the cigarette. "The race board will need convincing."

"I imagine you have some influence." She doesn't answer him directly.

"Mm. That's the suggested program for the next two months." As Tommy goes back to looking at the report, May gets up from her seat. "Your glass is empty."

"It's fine."

"Are you hungry?"

"Yes, a bit."

"I can prepare something."

"Do you have engine oil?" There's a hint of surprise in her features as she looks at him. "Before I set off for Birmingham, the car needs oil."

"I'm sure my husband kept some in the garage. I can get someone to do it."

"This evening or tomorrow?" They stare at each other for a moment, he waits for her next step.

"Well, we're so far from anywhere, people usually stay over." She is clearly nervous as she takes a set at the couch again, sipping her whisky. "Especially before cars, when it was just carriages, people used to stay over all the time."

"But I have a car."

"Yes."

"And you have engine oil."

"Probably." Her words are all but a whisper before she pauses, nervously looking at the other way. "But it would be very usual."

"What would?" His eyebrows raising as he waits for the answer, making her admit it out loud.

"For a guest to stay. We have a whole wing called the guest wing."

"Oh, you…" He almost smirked at the information. "You have a guest wing. Well..." Then Tommy notices that she is crying, silently, trying to hide her tears by facing the opposite wall. He walks to her, calling her name softly and resting a hand on her shoulder, trying to soothe her. Thomas never liked when woman cried, most part of the time it put him off because he didn't exactly know how to react and, in this particularly scenario, it wasn't something that he had predicted. "Have a smoke."

"Thank you." She accepts the cigarette from his hands and observes as he takes a step back to light another, taking a sit at the other end of the couch. "Ignore this. It's actually all right. I put all his photos in a drawer and locked it, as if that was going to make a difference. I'm like a fucking lighthouse keeper, out here on my own, keeping his flame burning. But, of course, when anyone sees a lighthouse they stay clear, don't they?" May observes as he seems to take a moment to think.

"Now, do you have a map? Of the house. Do you have a map? Because I'm not going to be able to find my way in the dark. You see, at midnight, I'm going to leave my wing and I'm going to come find you. And I'm going to turn the handle of your bedroom door without making a sound and none of the maids will know."

"You don't know maids." She scoffed at him.

"They hear a pin drop?"

"If there's a man in the house, they listen. They take turns."

"So, let them listen." Things were going according to his plan but Tommy couldn't help remembering his aunt's words that would keep echoing inside his head for the whole night.


	7. Chapter 7

_**N/A:** Hello again with another piece of Daphne's and Tommy's story. Thanks for everyone that took some time to read it, I really appreciate it. This chapter has some mentions of injuries and medical procedures that are, mostly, made up by me. I made some research but also took some creative license with it. Also, please, let me know what you think of it, this one was a __tough__ one to write. I think I did a hundred versions of it. Your feedback is always appreciated._

* * *

After the war Daphne had pretty much lost faith in a lot of things. God was one of them, because she really couldn't believe that a loving God would let all these bad things happen to innocent people. No, if there was a God he didn't give a damn about them so it was only fair that she would treat him with the same kindness. But she still knew all the things she had learned growing up like as a good catholic girl and that came in handy when she had to help Jane plan the details of the ceremony.

The both of them had just left the church and were going to the dressmaker to meet Harriet so they could try on their dresses for the wedding. Jane's and Charles's mothers had stayed behind because they wanted to confess, so they would meet for tea later. Yet, even with all the rush that the last week before Jane's wedding had brought to her life, Daphne's mind was still replaying Polly's words in a chant: _"Love is a good thing but sometimes it can blind us…"_.

"Look, if it it's not my favorite girls!" Harriet hugged Jane first and then Daphne before leading both women inside the shop.

"You waiting long for us?" The blonde asked, while they both took of their coats, gloves and hats.

"No, just arrived. How it was at the church?" Harriet sat at one of the loveseats, observing the two other women.

"Everything's settled, just waiting for the big day." The happiness radiating from Jane was infecting but it did little to stop Daphne's mind to wander. When the dressmaker came to get Jane, leaving the two other women alone, Harriet was quick to point it out.

"Are you alright, Daph? You seem distracted." The courtesan patted the empty space beside her, the other woman exhaled loudly before sitting down. "Tell me."

"It's nothing important." She answered not certain who she was trying to convince - herself or her friend.

"Well, it's important enough to have you all distracted on the week of one of your best friend's wedding, so it's obviously more important than you are letting on."

"I… don't want to talk about it around Jane." The youngest Weston had been her friend since they came back from France and William had introduced her to the whole family. Jane was a really good friend but it still made Daphne feel strange to talk about her feelings for another man when they both knew all too well how William felt about her.

"It's about Thomas, isn't it?" Her hazel eyes said all that the other woman needed to know. "Okay, but you must know that Jane is your friend, above all. She has a good head on her shoulders, she will know how to deal with that."

"I know, I know. It's just..." The sentence hang in the air because Jane entered the room again, dressed in all white, veil upon her face looking pretty much like an angel.

"What do you think?" She asked, shyly.

"Beautiful." The brunettes answered in unison, getting up to see her up close. Harriet's next comment lightened up the mood in the room.

"My God, Charles will have a hard time getting this out of you on your wedding night."

"HARRIET!" The blonde blushed profusely making the other two laugh.

"Oh, don't start that. You're not a nun. Might as well know what to expect on your wedding night." When Jane said nothing, staring at the ground the courtesan let her mouth hang open. "Unless… Don't tell me that you and Charles have been sneaking around before your wedding day?" The blonde tried to skip the subject, but Harriet was having none of it.

"It was just one time!"

"Oh what I would give to know what William would do after knowing that his best friend is fucking his little sister before their wedding." Daphne laughed out loud at the same time that Jane protested.

"Considering that they are to get married, he should expect that this would come sooner or later."

"Ok, can you two stop?" Despite her tone, Jane was laughing with the two other women. Daphne went to help Jane out of her dress at the same time that the dressmaker was doing the necessary adjusts on Harriet's dress.

"How is it?" The courtesan asked when the two others came back to the room to find her in her outfit. The deep purple of the fabric was a good match to her skin tone and the shaping only accentuated her curves.

"Well, I wish I had a body like that to use a dress like this." Harriet rolled her eyes at Jane's words but the tree of them were laughing in no time. Daphne was next in line, going to put on her dress that had been chosen by Jane. Harriet rushed to help her tie the knot on the base of her neck, seizing the opportunity to lean her head onto Daphne's shoulder, smiling at her through the mirror.

"You will give everyone a heart attack." Daphne slapped her hand playfully and Jane came to join them.

"The most beautiful maid of honor that London had ever seen." And even if she denied it, the only opinion that mattered for Daphne was of a certain Brummie gangster that she was not even sure if it would show up at the event.

* * *

Jane could be described as the perfect high class daughter that any wealth family in London would love to have - she dressed and carried herself like a lady, was polite, kind and had that air of innocence that enchanted everyone. However, she was also very much her brother's sister - behind the sweet, kind and innocent face of the upper class lady you will find a very astute, intelligent and wise young woman. So it wasn't all that surprising that she had caught on the tension in the conversation after they had returned from the dressmaker and sat down at the drawing room of her parent's house to drink tea while they waited for her mother and mother-in-law.

"Ok. You two are certainly trying to hide something from me. Spill it." Harriet and Daphne exchanged a glance at each other, knowing very well that their friend was also very stubborn, just like her brother, and wouldn't give up that easy on the subject.

"It's nothing you have to worry about." The blonde just laughed at Harriet's dismissal.

"Yeah, certainly nothing for me to worry about when my maid of honor is acting strange for the past half month and neither of you said anything to me." Both caught in the act, Daphne was the one to break the silence.

"It's problems with the business, Alfie have been acting strange and I just didn't wanted you to worry because you had enough in your plate with the wedding plans."

"The wedding plans you've been helping me with?" Her question was rhetorical and very much accusatory. "We are friends, aren't we?"

"Of course that we are." There wasn't any doubts from Daphne's part on that matter.

"Then you have to tell me the things that are bothering you so I can help, like you help me all the time." Harriet gave Daphne that look she had perfected over the years of their friendship, the look that Daphne hatted the most - the _'I told you so'_ look. She let out a heavy breath, sinking into her chair, head resting on the backrest.

"Alfie's been acting strange in the past few months. I think he's hiding something from me and I don't like it one bit." She said, stretching her arm to take her cup of tea and take a sip.

"Maybe this has something to do with how his new business part is showing interest in you?" Daphne almost shocked on her tea, immediately sitting straight while Harriet bend over herself in laughter.

"Where did you get that from?" Jane just rolled her eyes at the question.

"Daph, I maybe be younger than you but I'm not stupid. I've seen the guy one time but the way he looks at you is… certainly not showing professional interest."

"I've been telling her this for ages." Harriet quipped in, nonchalantly, bitting a biscuit and receiving a death glare from Daphne.

"When will I hear the end of it?" Sighing and sinking back to her previous position, Daphne closed her eyes, one of her hands resting on her forehead.

"When you admit that you are attracted to him too." The courtesan spoke again, making Jane look at her with wide eyes.

"I knew it was a good idea inviting him for the wedding."

"WHAT?!" This time both Daphne and Harriet looked at the blond in disbelief while Jane's face showed that she was very much proud of herself.

"Well, I might have suggested to invite him after I've noticed his interest in Daphne, it was worth a try to make her loosen up a bit."

"My God, deflowered before her wedding night and making plans for her single friend right under my nose - who are you and what have you done with my sweet, kind Jane?" The bride to be threw a napkin at Harriet, that promptly caught it before it hit her face, both falling into laughter. Daphne was still too surprised to even talk. Jane rearranged herself in her chair, to face her, leaning into her direction.

"I understand that you must find it strange to talk to me about your romantic life because of William and I won't lie and say that I wouldn't like if you two ended up together, because I would love having you as my sister, but I am your friend, Daph. I want you to be happy, it doesn't matter if it will be with my brother or not."

"I know." Daphne's voice was low and she felt almost embarrassed for having thought any different about the subject. She knew that Jane was her friend just as much as Harriet.

"Well, do you like him?" There was a mischievous smile on Jane's face as she asked the question, the same question that Daphne had been asking herself since her birthday party, after her little encounter with the Brummie gangster.

"I… it's… complicated."

"When has love ever been simple?" Silence filled the room for a moment, Harriet's words sinking in, before Daphne spoke again.

"We barely know each other outside of business, how can I love him?"

"I fell in love with Charles when I was nine and didn't even knew what love was, I'm pretty sure knowing people isn't a required thing to fall in love with then."

"Although it is very much needed if you want to maintain it, but that is another thing." Harriet complemented, sipping her tea. "And what do you say about me, former war nurse, owner of a brothel, fell in love with the big bad gangster that everybody runs from." Daphne's features softened at her friends confession - it wasn't that often that Harriet opened up about her feelings towards Alfie, even though she knew about then all along.

"I don't love him." _Yet_, Daphne wanted to add, but refrained herself from it - they were being bad enough without that information.

"Sure thing, honey, and I am the Queen of England." The courtesan said, rolling her eyes. Daphne sighed.

"I _can't_ love him."

"Why? And for the love of God, don't say to me that it is because of Alfie because I will personally fight him if I have too in order for you to be happy." Harriet's words echoed in Daphne's mind: why? Why she couldn't love Tommy? It wasn't because he was a gangster, because the first thing that she had done after coming back from France was start to work with one. Maybe it was because she believed in Polly's words, that love could blind people. At the end, she didn't had an answer for the question.

* * *

It wasn't the first and, unfortunately for Ada, it wouldn't be the last time that her brother's came barging into her house looking for a safe place to patch up their wounds while in London. That was the reason why she wasn't surprised at all by the scene in front of her - her three older brothers, all with some different kind of injury, alongside Jeremiah Jesus and and his son, Isaiah, bunched up on her kitchen.

"Unbelievable." She exclaimed, making all of them turn and look at her.

"Hey, sis. Would you mind giving us a hand?" Besides Jeremiah and his son who were clearly not hurt, Arthur was probably the one who was less injured, despite having blood all over his face as a result of the cut into his eyebrow.

"I came all the way to London to get myself free of you bunch and even like that I don't have a minute of peace!" Ada threw her purse onto the counter and starter to gather water and towels. Her brothers were ready to protest about her complaints but they all fell silent by the presence of another woman at the door. Daphne stood there, holding Karl on her arms, quite surprised by the scene.

"James." She called, turning around so Karl wouldn't see too much of the messy state his uncles were in right at the moment. They heard footsteps and soon the young writer appeared in their line of sight. "Can you please take Karl upstairs for a moment? I have to help Ada." He just nodded and she passed the sleepy boy to his arms, not without a series of complaints of the little boy who wanted to stay with her.

"Daphne? What are you doing here?" Tommy was sitting in one of the chairs, being held by his elder brother and a young boy that Daphne didn't recognized, there was a man with brown skin and dreadlocks poking at the wound on his right arm. John was behind them, leaning on the table and holding his shoulder.

"Clearly interrupting the fun. If you keep doing that you will only push the bullet further." Besides Tommy, who knew because of Ada that she was a nurse, the other man looked at her confused. "No offense intended. May I?" She was already rolling up her sleeves and walking to the sink to wash her hands, the man looked at Tommy waiting for an answer and the gangster just nodded. He got up from his own chair and held it for her, but she dismissed it.

"This is Jeremiah Jesus and his son Isaiah."

"Pleasure to meet you, Miss." The older man - Jeremiah - said to her while taking a step back to get close to John. The boy, who was behind Tommy nodded his head in her direction. Daphne smiled to them, before getting closer to Tommy to take a look at the wound. Her touch was light and precise but it still made him hiss in pain. It certainly wasn't the worst thing that she had seen but the bullet was still there and had to be removed. Tommy's blue eyes searched for hers and she looked down at him.

"You think you will do better than him?" It was John's voice asking. Daphne looked up to answer him.

"Well, considering I'm a trained nurse, yeah, I believe so." There was a hint of surprise on their faces and then Arthur talked.

"Thank God." He received a not so light slap from his younger sister. "What, everybody know you wouldn't be of much help."

"Next time you get into a fight and have to patch up your wounds don't come to me." Daphne smiled, turning her attention back to Tommy who was still observing her.

"I will have to take out the bullet." He nodded at her and she turned to Ada. "Do you have medical supplies?"

"Yeah, I will go take it. Be right back." She turned to leave the place quickly. Daphne tied her hair and washed her hands again before Ada entered the kitchen again. "Here."

"Thank you." She started searching for the things she needed, it seemed like a million years since the last time she had done something like this. At the bakery she took care of some of the minor wounds of their men but the bigger things were always treated by a doctor, so it had been a while since she had to take care of a bullet wound. "Do I want to know what happened?"

"Just a little disagreement." Tommy answered her while observing her prepare things.

"Little disagreement?" She was mocking him, he could tell but didn't said anything.

"It was always like this back home. They don't know how to stay out of trouble." Ada talked, putting a bow with warm water on the table and going back to lean onto the sink. Daphne took the tweezers, poured some alcohol in it and got closer to Tommy who looked at her a little unsure for the first time.

"Scared?" He licked his lips, blue eyes searching for hers.

"Just worried about that training of yours." She smiled before answering him.

"Don't worry, I'll be gentle." Focused on the task on hand, Daphne didn't notice how close they both were - she was standing in front of him, one of his legs between hers, his hand brushing the inside of her knee. He groaned in pain when she started to search for the bullet, the other man flinching with him, but it only took a minute for her to get it out.

"Well, that was quick." It was Ada who commented.

"I have a lot of practice." Daphne started cleaning the wound what made Tommy hiss in pain again. "It will need a few stitches, you better bite this, it will help." She took one of the towels and folded, holding it for him to bite. The gangster only shook his head.

"No need." Daphne rolled her eyes, still holding the towel in front of him.

"You are about to get a bunch of stitches in an open wound without any kind of anesthetic, the only thing you will get from being stubborn will be breaking your teeth." They stared at each other for a moment, while John and Arthur exchanged a glance with Ada, then Tommy exhaled loudly and murmured something under his breath before biting the towel. Daphne only smiled, taking the needle and the seam, and starting to suture the injury. When she finished it, she dressed the wound and took a step back - Tommy immediately missed the heat of her body closer to his. "As good as new."

"Thanks." Her told her, getting up from the chair, Arthur throwed a jacket on him before he leaned onto the table beside John.

"Arthur." Daphne called him and the eldest Shelby sat down onto the chair. She held his face between her hands, searching for other injuries besides the most obvious one. When she noticed that he had none more, she did the same thing she had done with Tommy - folding a towel and giving it for him to bite, the only difference was that he didn't complain about it. Daphne cleaned and stitched him, he thanked her and then she looked at John who didn't seemed all too eager to get patched up. "Do you need a special invitation?" Arthur, Ada, Jeremiah and Isaiah laughed out loud and she could swear that Tommy was trying to hold back a smile.

"It's nothing serious, I can handle it till we get back home."

"This is all fear of me? Seriously? After I stitched both of your brothers?" She was riling him up so he would to what she wanted without noticing - John didn't take the hint, but Tommy and Ada did.

"'m not afraid of you!" Daphne raised and eyebrow.

"Sure not."

"Bloody hell!" He exclaimed before sitting down at the chair in front of her, making her smile to herself.

"Dislocated shoulder?" She asked while touching his shoulder gently.

"I think so." He grunted at the discomfort.

"Ok, so tell me, why were you so afraid of me?"

"I wasn't…" John had no time to finish the sentence before he screamed in pain and Daphne could hear the faint "pop" of his bones coming back into place.

"See, nothing to worry about." She smiled at him, turning to take some bandages. "Take of your shirt."

"Wow, wow. Why do you want to take off my shirt, sweetheart." Daphne rolled her eyes at the flirtatious tone.

"Don't flatter yourself, there's nothing here that I haven't seen before." The others laughed again and Arthur was the one to mock him.

"You should watch your tongue around that one. She's smarter than all of us together." John just shook his head but took off his shirt for her to put his arm on a sling.

"All done." Daphne helped him put on his shirt again the best she could with the sling, then started to clean up the mess on Ada's kitchen.

"Come on, you can take some rest upstairs. Karl might want to see you, anyway." The man started following her out of the kitchen, except for Tommy who didn't moved a muscle. She looked at him questionably and he just dismissed her with a shake of his head. Daphne had her back turned to them, cleaning things in the sink, so she missed the warning glare that Ada gave to Tommy before she left.

"Our Ada had mentioned you had medical training." His voice startled her and she turned around to face him. He was shirtless still, she hadn't really registered it before, too lost into the rush of adrenaline that made her jump into action. "Didn't know if it was true or not."

"It is." She answered clearly avoiding the real question behind his inquiry, drying her hands in one of the towels. Ada entered the kitchen with a shirt and an undershirt on her hands.

"I picked these from James, think they will fit you. It's better than your blood stained ones." She put the clothes on the table and looked at Daphne and then back at her brother. "Are you going to stay the night?"

"No. We have to go back home today." The siblings looked at each other for a moment before Ada turned to Daphne.

"I'm sorry for dragging you into this mess."

"Don't beat yourself over it. It's not like I don't know how this life works." There was a moment of silence before Ada's name was called from upstairs.

"Bloody hell! Can I have a moment of peace?" She shouted back and turning to face Daphne. "I will see what they want. You will be fine?"

"Yeah, I will just sort this things and see myself out. There are some things that I need to do at the bakery."

"Ok." The Shelby sister walked to her friend and hugged her. "See you next week?"

"Yeah, you can count on that." Then she left the room again, ignoring the fact that Tommy still didn't moved from his spot near the table. When the two were alone again he looked at her direction just to see Daphne approaching him, pointing at the clothes on the table. "You want help with that?"

"Sure." He answered after a moment, she took the undershirt that had been tossed on the table and passed the collar through his head, folding the sleeves so it was easier for him to slip it through his arms. Daphne saw the smirk on his face when she unbuckled his belt to stick the fabric into his pants, but he made no comment on the matter after she gave him a warning glare. Then she took the shirt and he turned around, his back to her so she could slide it up his arms. Then he turned around to face her again, they were as close as they had been at the day of her party. She ignore his stare while buttoning the shirt and tucking it into his pants like she had done with the undershirt and then buckling his belt. When she took his good arm to button his sleeve he pulled her into his body, making her let out a gasp and look into his eyes. "Are we ignoring this thing between us?"

"There is no thing between us." Daphne could swear she could get lost into the blue of his eyes that only seemed more alluring this close but she had to hold her ground. Indulging herself for a moment, she rested her hands onto his chest, weary of his injured arm. He smelled different than he did at the day of the party - she recognized all too well the scent of cooper from the blood mixed with gunpowder but there was this other thing that she couldn't quite distinguish, it was something that just reminded of him.

"No?" He brushed his nose on hers and observed as her eyes fluttered shut just for a second before she opened them again to look straight at him. There was something in this woman, something that drawed him to her. "Keep telling yourself that, love."

"Tommy, Ada asked…" Thomas just closed his eyes, his forehead leaning against Daphne's while he took a deep breath to restrain himself of lashing out on Arthur, who had stopped in his tracks a few feet away from them, and looked a little unsure about what to do. Ada, of course his sister would have done something like that to protect her friend from him. "Huh, I'm sorry, brother, Daph. I will go back upstairs."

"There's no need, Arthur." Daphne called, making him stop at the kitchen's door. She looked at Tommy as she talked, just before disengaging herself from his embrace. "We are finished here." And then with a last glance at Tommy, she left and at that moment he knew that things were just getting complicated.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** _Helloooooo. Back with the update. And I apologize in advance because it seems like I have forgotten how to write romance. Don't know what to say today, really. Maybe I can make the suggestion that you hear the music "Fear on Fire" by Ruelle for the, let's say, first part of the chapter. It kinda sets the mood for the wedding and, well, what happens there. Talking about music, I kinda made a playslist for the fic, for inspiration and everything. Would you like if I shared it? Let me know. Also, I will be answering to comments at the end of the chapter._

* * *

She haven't seen or heard of Tommy in the following days from their encounter at Ada's house. Daphne busied herself helping Jane with the rest of things that needed to be sorted before the ceremony and her increasing workload at the bakery but not even her hectic schedule seemed to be able to take her thoughts out of him. Constantly she caught herself wondering about how gentle was his touch when he held her close, or the way he looked at her with so much passion in his eyes, but mostly about the way he addressed this growing feeling between them.

The water had already turned cold when she got out of the tube, drying herself and putting on a robe. She sat down in front of the vanity and looked at the reflex in the mirror, sighing, before starting to brush her hair and pinning it up. Then she picked the locket that was resting on the vanity, not opening it, her fingers playing with the object like she had done a thousand times before. What would Benjamin think about all of this? Well, if he were still alive things would be a lot different, probably. It was in days like this that she missed him the most - the one person that knew what she was thinking even before herself sometimes. She put the necklace on before dressing herself to go and picking the things she needed, putting on her shoes and heading for the stairs.

"Fucking hell, lass, you're a fucking vision." Alfie was in the middle of the room, westriling with his tie. She smiled at him, slapping his hand away from the tie hanging from his neck and straightening his collar to tie the knot while he murmured. "I hate this stuff. Don't know how Thomas can use it all the damn time." She tried to hide it with a shy smile, but he saw the way she bit her lower lip at the mention of the Brummie's name.

"Can you help me?" She turned around pointing at the strap that needed to be fastened at the base of her neck and he quickly tied it and then she turned back to look at him, his hands holding hers. "Thanks."

"Fucking beautiful."

"Stop it or I will think that you're going soft." She mocked him and the gangster just rolled his eyes.

"It's true, though. Doubt that there is going to be a woman more beautiful."

"Don't let Jane hear that, she is supposed to be the most beautiful woman of the party today."

"Well, she was the one who invited you for her maid of honor and chose you that dress, I'm only stating the obvious." Daphne smiled at him, standing on her tiptoes and placing a kiss on his cheek, choosing to ignore the faint blush that crept onto his face.

"I'm going to the Weston's house to help Jane get ready. I'll meet you at the reception?" He just nodded at her, observing as she left and thinking to himself if this was gonna be the last moment of peace they would had for the following weeks.

* * *

"You look beautiful." Was the first thing William said to her as her opened the door of his family's home for her to enter.

"You don't look half bad yourself." She smiled, hugging him and then stepping inside the house. "Aren't you supposed to be with Charles?"

"I'm on my way." He kissed her cheek before taking his coat from the rack. "Jane is in her room with my mother and her friends. Make yourself at home." Then he was out through the door and she made her way upstairs. She knocked on Jane's bedroom door and let herself in to see the group of women walking from one side to the other of the room, doing different things. Immediately, she searched for the bride, finding her near the window looking a little overwhelmed. When her eyes found Daphne's she cleared her throat, asking for the other women to give them some time.

"Thank God you're here. I thought they were going to make me crazy." They hugged each other and Daphne took a step back to look at the young woman properly.

"It's okay, I'm here to help you now." They smiled at each other and Daphne hushed her friend to the vanity to help her with her hair and makeup.

"You look beautiful. I'm really glad I chose a different color for you." Daphne just smiled to her through the reflex in the mirror.

"Thank you my lady, but I guess this doesn't matter that much because all eyes will be on you today."

"Not all of them, I hope." There was a mixture of insecurity and mischief in her tone and all that Daphne could do was give her friend a disapproving look when Mrs. Weston entered the room. They dressed Jane and then went to the church all together. She was waiting in the car with Jane, noticing that the younger woman was fidgeting, she took one of her hands on her own.

"Nervous?"

"A little." The blonde let out a heavy breath after the confession. "It doesn't make sense, right. I love him, I shouldn't be this nervous!"

"Well, you're about to start a new life with him. Everything will be different, I think I would be nervous to." Jane looked at her for a second before saying.

"You would make a wonderful sister." Daphne knew that it wasn't her intention but she felt the pang in her chest anyways, Jane immediately recognized her mistake. "I'm so sorry, Daph. I didn't meant it like that."

"I know. And I'm honored, really." The conversation was cut short by Mr. Weston, coming to let Daphne know that it was time for her to make her entrance. "Let's get you married, huh?" Daphne said as she straightened Jane's veil one last time, smiling at the bride before getting out of the car and climbing the steps of the church. She walked down the aisle alone, as she should, giving a reassuring smile at a very nervous Charles at the altar, before the band started to play the song for Jane to enter.

The youngest Weston seemed like an angel in all white, arm in arm with her father, a very delicate bouquet of white and blue flowers on her hands and a smile so bright it could light up an entire room. As it was expected, Charles shed some tears when he saw her. When she reached the altar, Jane handed the bouquet over to her maid of honor and it was in that moment that Daphne's hazel eyes met Tommy's in the crowd. It took a moment for her to register his presence, standing beside Ada, close to the front doors of the church. She averted her gaze quickly, concentrating in her tasks but during all the ceremony Daphne could feel his eyes on her.

* * *

It wasn't like she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his entire life - Thomas was sure that there were a lot of women that could rival her in beauty. However, it wasn't her physical appearance that attracted him, at least it wasn't just that. Because there was no denying that she looked, indeed, stunning, standing at the altar, dress of a pale blue, almost matching the color of the sky at the blue hour, hair delicately tied up, a touch of light makeup and the undeniable shade of blood red coating her lips that could be recognized even from the distance.

Their eyes met for a brief moment when she picked the bouquet from the bride's hands but she was quick to avert his gaze. No, he was falling for her because of her alluring presence, her witty answers, the way she treated his family like they were hers, because she seemed to understand him and the business better than anyone. Ada got him out of his daze by elbowing him because they were supposed to sit now. For the rest of the ceremony he observed her, giving little attention to the rest.

He watched the newlyweds walking down the aisle, all smiles to each other, followed closely by William and Daphne, arm in arm, looking like the next couple in line for a wedding as they shared a friendly smile towards each other. Tommy knew that if he was a good man - _a really, truly good man_ \- he would back away and let her have a chance to be with someone that suited her better, someone like William. But he was no good man.

The reception was held on the Weston's manor, as it was expected. The ballroom was richly decorated with flowers and candles, giving the place a cozy atmosphere. Foods and drinks of very expensive tastes were being served, people chatting all around the place. As a part of the wedding party, Daphne was with William, helping to receive the guests before the newlyweds made their entrance.

* * *

"If I ever decide to get married remember me of opting for a small reception." Daphne murmured to William, making him laugh, in one of the few moments of calmness they had in the last half an hour.

"I will, because you can't expect me to go through all of this again."

"What, you want to be my maid of honour?" She mocked him, a playful smile on her lips.

"I was hoping so. Don't you think I would look ravishing holding your bouquet at the altar?" Daphne had to hold herself back not to laugh out loud but the moment was cut short when they had to greet the next people in line. When her eyes focused on the pair in front of her she had to take a deep breathe to calm her nerves.

"Congratulations on your sister's wedding, Mr. Weston." Tommy extended his hand for best man that promptly shook it.

"Thanks, Mr. Shelby. And calm me William, please. Mr. Weston makes me sound like my father."

"Then you may call me Thomas." They nodded at each other. "This is my sister, Ada."

"Pleased to meet you, Daphne talks a lot about you." The Shelby sister said as William kissed her knuckles, smiling.

"Pleasure is all mine. Hope she left out the bad parts."

"Of course not, where's the fun in that." Daphne objected, making them laugh.

"Ah, it's unfair of you to be this beautiful." Ada exclaimed hugging the other woman.

"You are quite the sight too." And she was, indeed. Her short hair curled and left loose, bringing out the blue of her eyes, the dress of a deep green, making her look all classy. When they parted, Daphne prepared herself for the inevitable. "Thomas."

"Daphne." He mimicked William's gesture towards his sister, kissing Daphne's knuckles.

"Charles will be happy that you came. I think they had seated you in the same table as Alfie." William said, looking at Daphne for confirmation.

"Yeah, that's right. Good thing for you that he is in a good mood."

"We must get going. See you two later." Ada said smiling and pulling her brother along with her at the same time that Mrs. Weston came to them to let them know that they all would make her entrance now, before Charles and Jane. All the bridesmaids and groomsmen lined themselves up, them both Charles and Jane's parents.

They were left for last, waiting for them all to walk into the ballroom. As it was tradition, Daphne was seated at the top table, with the newlywed couple and their parents along with the best man. Unfortunately, she and William were in opposite sides ends of the table, so she mostly observed the people around and tried to make small talk with Charles's mother on occasion until it was time for Will to make his speech.

"Well, I never thought I would be doing the best man's speech at my little sister's wedding." Everybody laughed at William's statement before he continued. "I have known Charles for the most part of our lives and Jane for all of hers and I know, despite having fought against it at the beginning, that they are probably the closest thing of a perfect match that we all have ever seen. Of course that I needed a little convincing accepting that my little sister, the one that was always following me around, was dating my best friend, but figured that there was no better person to put up with her. But I won't elongate this too much because I know that everyone is more interested in the food than in hearing me. I just want to say that, from the bottom of my heart, I wish you too a very happy life together because everybody should experience the joy of loving and being loved in return at least one time on their lives." Everybody clapped their hands as one teary eyed Jane launched herself into her brother's arms and then Charles and William hugged each other, exchanging pats on their backs.

The food was served, everybody ate and drank happily and it was time for Mr. and Mrs. Johnson to share their first dance. Daphne had seen a fair share of couples in her life to know how to notice the differences when two people really loved each other or not and it was more than safe to say that these two were absolutely entranced with one another. After the first dance, the bride danced with her father and the groom with his mother, then Daphne danced with Charles and Jane with William, so the parents could dance two. And then she and William had to share a dance.

"I still can't believe that my little sister just got married." He sighed as they moved across the dance floor.

"To your best friend, of all people." She mocked him and he just shook his head before laughing with her.

"You are absolutely mean, Miss Scott."

"After all these years of coexistence with you I had to learn something." William just narrowed his eyes at her in pretended offense as he swirled her around.

"You never thought about it?" Daphne looked at him, confused.

"What? Getting married?" He nodded. "Not really. You?"

"Sometimes." There was a moment of silence and when people started to enter the dance floor and then she tried to lighten up the mood.

"Well, you are a good men. You will find someone soon. I think at least half of the ladies in this ballroom want me dead just because I am dancing with you now." He just laughed at her statement before asking.

"Do you want to go talk to Alfie?" She nodded so he took her hand and they both headed to the table.

"There are they. We were just talking about you two." It was Harriet who saw them first, talking for the other people on the table.

"Well, what's so interesting about us?" Daphne asked as William pushed a chair for her to sit, beside Ada, before setting himself on the one next to her.

"The fact that almost every single woman in this room is giving you death glares for stealing away one of the most desired bachelors in all London." Daphne laughed out loud, looking at William who was rolling his eyes.

"I told you." She said to him and he waved his hand.

"Shut up."

"And after that speech, mate, I think that you will have a line of admirers on your doorstep." Alfie jokes, obviously not losing the opportunity of mocking his friend.

"Oh, fuck off you all." There was a hint of a smile in his face and even Tommy had to give in and curve his lips up a little.

"If they only knew the pain in the ass he can be, they would think twice before running after him."

"Mean, Scott, you're mean."

"I can only agree with her, you know. Think all this women should be more envious of the way this one looks, don't you agree boys." Harriet pointed at Daphne and then looked at Alfie and Thomas, pressing the both men for validation.

"Fucking vision, already said that to her, yeah." Daphne threw a napkin at him, which he caught easily, laughing with everyone on the table. After the laughter died down, Daphne gave Harriet a sideways glance, which the courtesan promptly ignored, looking expectantly at Tommy. There was an air of tension around the table, the Brummie opened his mouth to speak, never really having the chance.

"Come on, girls. It's time for the bride toss the bouquet." It was Jane's mother calling all the single women of the reception to go to the dance floor and try their luck at picking the bouquet and, allegedly, be the next one to tie the knot. Daphne audibly sighed, holding her face in between her hands.

"Don't even think of skipping it." Harriet got up from her seat and took Daphne by the hand, pulling her up. "We all are going."

"I hate this stuff." Daphne mumbled as Ada followed the two of them, giggling. The Shelby sister tried to cheer her friend.

"Don't be like that. What are the odds of one of us getting that thing, anyways?" Apparently, the chances of one of them picking up the bouquet was very high, because the damned thing landed right on Daphne's hands, even in the middle of a sea of other women that really wanted it. Jane looked at her, smiling brightly, and in a moment of pure and simple panic, the maid of honor tossed the bouquet for the crowd of desperate women and took a step back towards a very shocked bride. The blonde ended up laughing and hugging Daphne from behind, while they both looked as two of the guests fought for the object. After the end of the commotion the trio walked back to the table.

"You really refuse to settle down, don't you?" Alfie more states than questions while Daphne sat down again.

"I don't have time for this sort of thing and I definitely don't need to be owned by a man." Harriet and Ada expressed their agreements to the statement. "Let's change the subject, please. I'm done with all this teasing."

"Maybe I can help with that." Tommy got up from his seat and walked to Daphne, standing his hand in front of her. "May I have this dance, Miss Scott?" The woman looked up at him, hazel eyes filled with a mixture of confusion and shock.

"I'm accompanied tonight, Mr. Shelby." She nodded her head at William's direction. They both knew that this had more to do with her trying to escape him than her really being asking for permission to do something.

"It's okay, go with him." They both looked at William as he got up from his own seat, buttoning his jacket. "Maybe I can persuade Mrs. Thorne in dancing with me?" Ada looked at little surprised by the question directed at her, but she mustered a little 'sure', before William walked to her, taking her hand and walking with her to the dance floor, leaving Daphne with no option but do the same, letting Tommy guide her through the tables.

They found a spot not so crowded and both fell easily into the upbeat tempo. She was more than surprised to discover that he was actually quite a decent dancing partner, swirling her around with ease and preventing them from colliding with other more enthusiastic couples. They didn't shared a single word until the music changed to a slower tune and Tommy brought her closer. Unlike William, who had the discretion of maintaining his hand at the limit of the fabric of her dress, since it had a low cut in the back, Tommy's hand rested delicately over her skin.

"How's the arm?" She decided to break the silence, her hand was resting carefully over the place where the wound was.

"It's healing alright, I had a good doctor stitching it up." He smiled at her while she looked away.

"Not a doctor."

"Sure as hell could be one." The woman looked at him for a moment before saying.

"Didn't wanted to. Not after…" She trailed off and he decided to take a bold guess.

"France?" She nodded and they fell into silence again. "I never got to answer the question, you know?" Her hazel eyes stared at him in question. "About how you look."

"Thomas…"

"It was a good thing because I don't know what Alfie would do if I said what was on my mind." His blue eyes sparkled with something that she couldn't quite recognize and Daphne had to remind herself how to breathe. "Because I couldn't concentrate in anything but you during the ceremony. You and how you looked absolutely magnificent in this dress, standing at the altar and holding that fucking bouquet, smiling with these damned red painted lips."

"Thomas…"

"And how I wanted to…" Daphne stopped, abruptly, but nobody gave much mind to it because the music was changing again.

"Please, don't do this." Tommy looked at her, confusion painted all over his face.

"Do what?"

"Make me want things I can't have." She walked off, disappearing over the other couples and leaving a very astonished Tommy in the middle of the dance floor. Daphne just had to get away from him and clear her head because she didn't know what to do right now. Tommy, still standing in the same place she left him, shook his head, heading for the bar and asking for a whiskey, taking it in one gulp.

"She is probably on the library." Tommy turned to the side to see William leaning into the counter, looking straight ahead.

"Excuse me?"

"Daphne. I saw her leaving." The man took a sip of his drink and turned to look athe the gangster.

"The library?" William nodded. "And you're telling me this why?" The doctor took a deep breath, downing the rest of the alcohol on his glass, ignoring the question.

"Out from that door, second to the left."

"Why are you trying to help me?" It was more than clear that he liked Daphne too, so it didn't make sense that he was trying to help. William turned to look at him before answering.

"I'm not doing this for you." He walked away, leaving Tommy to ponder on what to do. The gangster decided to take a leap of faith, so he followed William's lead and headed towards the door and what was supposed to be the library. He found her looking out of the window, arms crossed in front of her, distracted by her own thoughts. She turned to look his way when she heard the sound of the door closing and observed as he approached, stopping right in front of her.

She didn't complained when he took a step closer, uncrossing her arms and sliping a hand to her waist and then to the lower of her back, invading her personal space and joining their foreheads. Instead she rested her hands on his chest, closing her eyes for a moment as he observed her, letting him hold her. He moved his other hand, the back of it ghosting over her arm until he rested his palm on the side of her face, inching her head up, urging her to look at him. Daphne slowly opened her eyes, holding his gaze for a moment before he leaned in and sealed their lips.

It was just a light touch, at the beginning. Tommy just kept their lips together for a second until he was sure that she wasn't going to back away, so he licked her lips as if asking for permission to deepen the kiss and she let him. His fingers trailing over to the base of her neck, entangling themselves onto her brown locks while his other hand tried to bring her even closer, as he kissed her with a passion he hadn't experienced in a while. That was when she melted against him, delicate fingers holding tight at the lapels of his jacket.

They parted from each other for a brief moment, catching their breaths and looking each other in the eyes before they kissed again. Tommy gently guided her a step back, pressing her to the window, hands travelling through her body to touch the exposed skin on her back, bringing goosebumps to her skin, trying to remind himself of where they were and not to think about how she must not the using a lip or a brasserie underneath that dress. Despite how he wanted her, it was Daphne and she deserved better than that.

This was the moment, in the middle of the library of the Weston's house, hiding from the party roaring at the ballroom, her body pressed to him and the taste of her on his tongue, when Tommy accepted the fact that he was in love with Daphne Scott.

* * *

Tommy was distracted, filling some papers on his office, not noticing when John came in, juste realizing he wasn't alone when his younger brother threw the file onto his desk. He looked up at hm, questionaly, before picking up the folder - it was from the War Office.

"It seems like you fucking that posh horse trainer had earned some benefits after all. Her connections from the War Office gave us Daphne's file. Still don't know what you need this for, but it's there."

"Did you read it?"

"No." John watched his brother for a moment, noticing that he had made no move to open the file. "What you plan to do with that?"

"Don't know yet." It was true, he didn't know what to do with the information. Specially considering what had happened after the wedding and how he couldn't take his mind off of her - and how she tasted, how she squirmed under his touch, how she looked at him like he was something more than he thought he was. His younger brother nodded, turning to leave. Before he was out the door, John turned to look at Tommy again.

"She is a good woman, Tom. Far better than Grace." There it was, that damn comparison that he'd been trying to avoid at all costs but it seemed to be impossible to escape from. He picked the folder from the desk, looking at it for a moment before locking it away on the drawer from where he picked an envelope. A letter that Grace had sent him - the only one he hadn't burned. Before taking things further with Daphne he had to be sure of one thing, so he picked up the phone to make a call.

"Ritz Hotel. London, Picadilly."

* * *

"The Passover started off way out there in the Far East, out in the sand, out in the desert, where my forefathers come from, the Jews, the brews, whatever you want to call them. It started out as a little speck on the horizon…" The eldest Shelby turned his head to look behind him, as two of Alfie's man closed the doors of the bakery and Billy was quick to get closer to him saying.

"Arthur, this ain't right!"

"Billy..." Arthur started but was interrupted by Alfie.

"Billy, don't worry mate. If you want, you can leave. If you need to go to the little boy's room, you can leave."

"He's all right. He's all right, Billy Boy." Arthur said, trying to calm down the spirits.

"Do you want to leave?" The Jew asked.

"No, you I'm all right." He didn't sounded so sure,

"You want to stay?" Alfie pressed, holding himself back from smiling - Billy didn't imagined how right he was. He never really liked the man, anyway. Nor the way he looked at himself and Daphne.

"I'll stay." The man answered, holding Alfie's gaze.

"You stay there, then, treacle. OK. So, the Pharaoh, have you heard of him? He kept my people, the Jewish people, in slavery for thousands and thousands of years."

"Persecuted race." Said Arthur, trying to show sympathy.

"He did, he persecuted my race. The killing of the innocent, right? Seder, this feast what we is having here, right? Seder is basically the day when the Jewish angels decided, you know, that the evil fucking Egyptians had pushed their fucking luck."

"Right."

"It's part of our tradition, to do with Seder, right, that in order to make it good with God to kill a king, we have to carry out the Korban Pesach."

"Right."

"That is the ritual sacrifice of the Passover goat." One of the employers entered with the goat, holding it in place for the sacrifice.

"It's a goat!" Arthur said, surprised, sitting straight on his chair to take a better look at the animal.

"Yeah, and we are going to sacrifice it. Tonight. That is part of the reason why we have to shut the doors as well. But this year we thought we'd give the fucking goat a name."

"You've named it?" The eldest Shelby smiled, a little amazed.

"We fucking did. Yeah."

"They named the fucking goat." Arthur said to Billy, who still looked worried about the whole situation but didn't said another word about it.

"After the evil fucking Egyptian pharaoh."

"The fucking enemy!" The Shelby brother cheered.

"That's right! You know what we called him?"

"What did you call him?"

"Tommy Shelby." After that, all hell break loose. The man holding the goat cut its throat, another shot Billy Kimber, and another two held Arthur back by placing a cloth around his neck, bringing him to one of the pillars and holding him there.

"Fuck you!" Alfie kneed Arthur, stepping closer to the man.

"That's right, let's take the load off." The Jew held Arthur head between his hands. "So, then the evil Egyptian scum was finally cleansed by the blood of the Passover goat." Alfie passed the cloth soaked in the goat's blood between Arthur eyebrows and on his lips, kissing him on both cheeks and murmuring into his ear. "That's from Sabini." They knocked Arthur out, the blinder fell to the floor and Alfie rearranged things to make it look like it was the Shelby brother who had shoot Billy Kitchen. Then he nodded to his men open the doors and the police came in to take Arthur. "The fucking animal. He come in here, right, with a fucking gun and a razor, he shot him in the face. My lads, they restrained him. Look at him. He is dead. Is he dead? He is fucking dead! He wants arresting or something, right? Surely." It was done, there was no going back now. All Alfie could do was hope that he had made the right choice.

* * *

**Angel029:** Thanks, love. Hope you like this one too.

**Idcam:** These two seem to attract trouble, it's incredible. Unfortunately, things won't get THAT much better for awhile. Stay tuned to see what happens next and thanks for always supporting me 3

**shariebery:** HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY! I'm sorry, I couldn't get the update done any sooner, but I hope you like it. There is some... action in this chapter, don't know if it was the kind you were expecting. Let me know.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: So, how have you all been? Good, I expect. This chapter is a little, well, angsty. There is a lot of emotions going around and things start to go wrong for everyone. I will post the playlist for the fic soon but I warn you, I'll break your heart there might be some spoilers in the lyrics. The music recommended for this chapter is "Big Guns" by Ruelle. A big, huge thank you for everybody who still reads the fic even after nine ass long chapters. Be prepared for a lot more. As always, this haven't been proofread, so feel free to report any mistakes back to me. If you want, you can find me on Tumblr as "psycheswritings". Your feedback is always appreciated. Happy reading.

* * *

Things were going smoothly for the Shelby family - the pubs in London were earning a god profit, the exportation of the alcohol had encountered no hindrance so far and then there was Daphne, that had finally give in to his advances. Tommy should have expected that something would go wrong, because things had always been like that for them. It had been this way when his mom died and his father ran away, it had been like that with the war, this time was no different.

"We had a deal." He entered the church to find the irishman on his usual spot, reading the newspaper. "Hey! We had a fucking deal!"

"I would think that you would moderate your language in a place of worship." His tone didn't conceal the disdain and Tommy has had enough of the attitude, so he rips the paper out of Campbell's hands and throws it away, pointing a finger to the policeman's face.

"We had a fucking deal."

"Mr. Shelby, if you read the papers, you might have seen that the Home Secretary has got himself into a bit of a fizz about certain moral issues. Prostitution, protection, racketeering, drinking, cocaine and, of course, gambling. He has demanded results." As the Irishman lectures, Tommy starts to pace around, breath uneven, trying his best to not let his anger take over. He had to think of a way to get them out of this situation.

"You offered me protection. You promised me protection."

"Well, no, you see it was Mr. Churchill that made you that promise. And the Home Secretary outranks him, so…" Campbell observes as Tommy walks around before saying. "And I can hardly be blamed if your demented brother decided to go on some sort of blood orgy during dinner." The little patience that the gangster had was gone and as he approaches the policeman he is already shouting at him.

"Don't fucking lie to me! Do not sit here in your fucking church and lie to me!"

"You will need to contain your emotions or this meeting is at an end." Tommy faces Campbell for a moment, his only wish is to put a bullet through his head, has been for a long time, but he tries his best to regain his composure, stepping back from the man and turning his back from him, resting his hands on the benches on the other side of the aisle. "Good. That's better. So, let us review the new situation. I have your brother in a prison cell charged with the murder of Billy Kitchen. The case against him is strong and I have no doubt that his destiny is to hang. And then there is Polly's son, Michael. He has already admitted to helping Arthur burn down the Marquis pub. He was a tough nut to crack, that boy, but crack he did. So I have your brother facing the noose, I have your cousin facing five years for arson. And I have your entire organization in disarray in Birmingham and in London."

"What do you want?" Tommy asks, facing the policeman again.

"What do I want?!" Campbell looks at the gangster like he is not making sense at all. "I don't understand."

"I have already agreed to do your fucking killing for you. Now, what is it you want from me?" Tommy's voice is low and he punctuates every word. Campbell stands up from the bench to get closer to the gangster and the younger man just observes him, trying to conceal his anger.

"There you go, you see. An agreement is not the same thing as an assurance, now, is it? You see, I found I wasn't sleeping so well. It wasn't just the smell and the noise in that room, no. It was the nagging doubt. The knowledge… The knowledge that Tommy Shelby is not afraid to die. Therefore, the threat to your own life might not be enough to make it certain that you will obey me on the given day. I needed also the power of life and death over your family. And that I now have. Your brother, your cousin and your sister. I have known her address in Primrose Hill since the day she moved i, she is safe only as long as I want her to be. I have been ahead of you every step of the way. And, as my father used to say, to make sure your dog obeys you, you have to show it the stick once in a while." He holds his cane up, as to illustrate his words, before walking out of the church, the echoes of the walking stick filling the air as Tommy stands there, weighing down his options.

* * *

"Tommy, Arthur is in solitary confinement. Michael is in the remand wing of…" Lizzie follows him when he enters the office, but he is only partially registering what she is saying to him, the sound of the telephone ringing on the background.

"I already know. Get out, shut the doors." She does as he says and Tommy sits on his desk, hands resting on the wood, eyes observing the telephone before he picks it up.

"_Tommy? It's me. Tommy, can you hear me?"_ It's impossible to not recognize the voice and the gangster is not sure about the way it makes him feel.

"Yes, Grace."

"_I think you called. I haven't slept."_ He takes a deep breath before answering.

"Grace, this is not a good time."

"_I can call you back."_ There is a hint of desperation on her voice, like she is clinging to something, a thread of hope perhaps. He should expect that, between her proposal before she left to America and the letters she kept sending him even when he didn't answer none of them, even after she married, but part of him still felt a little surprised by her tone.

"No, it's fine. It's all right."

"_Can we meet?"_ The words had barely left his lips when she talks again and something occurs to Tommy - maybe this is the chance he has to balance things between him and Campbell and find out once and for all how he feels about her.

"Yes. We'll meet."

"_When?"_

"Grace, there are some things I have to do first."

* * *

Tommy entered the Shelby house to find Polly sitting at the table in the room connected to the betting shop, smocking. He walked past her, entering the other room where John, Esme and Finn where waiting. Stooding near the table, hands behind his back, he prepared himself to survey the damage containment. "John?"

"The coppers have lifted ten of our men in Camden Town, the rest of them are on the run."

"Tom, they've taken Michael." It was Finn, clearly worried about his cousin's situation.

"Business first."Was all Tommy said to his brother to silence the boy.

"They took Michael last night..." Polly got up from her seat, clearly exasperated by the fact that her son was now in jail. All she wanted was a way to get him out, business be damned.

"I said business first."

"They picked him up…" Tommy didn't let her finish, raising his voice and looking at her as he said.

"Polly, business first!" She leaned into the doorframe, restless, her nephew ignored that, turning to look at his brother. "John?"

"They took all our whisky, so no doubt they'll be supping that for Christmas. They've impounded all our vans, put their own locks on the warehouse. The Eden Club and all our pubs have been raided by the coppers and handed back to Sabini and Solomons." He paused for a moment, then continued. "The Black Country boys think it was Arthur that killed Billy because that's what the coppers told them. So there'll be no more free passes for our whisky boats."

"I don't give a fuck about whisky. I don't give a fuck about Billy Kitchen. I want my son out of prison. Now." Polly came forward talking directly at Thomas.

"Thomas, I spoke to Johnny Dogs..."

"This meeting should just be family." The older woman interrupts Esme, not boring herself to look at the girl.

"I can help." John's wife protests but Polly directs her answer to Tommy again.

"It's family only, she is not blood, Tommy!"

"Let her speak." The gangster says, trying to maintain his voice low.

"Or is this a business? Have you forgotten…"

"Enough!" He screams looking at his aunt. "Enough, Polly." The man turns to his sister-in-law. "Esme?"

"I spoke to Johnny Dogs. The Lees are kin."

"The bloody Lees!" Polly exclaims, not believing that Tommy is really considering the offer.

"They can give us men!" Esme argues.

"We don't need more fucking men! It's men that have done the damage! It... It... is men fighting like cockerels that have put us here in the first place." Tommy just ignores his aunt outburst, knowing that she is not thinking rationally because of Michael's situation.

"Esme, I'll take up their offer. We need men." He takes a brief look at Polly, who stares at him, shaking her head before taking a step closer to him.

"If Michael ever gets out of prison, I am taking him away from this family. For good." She marches up to Finn, taking the young boy by the arm, all the while Tommy observes her, quiet. "This life is bad. This life is all bad."

"Aunt Pol, what are you doing?" The youngest Shelby protests as she forces him out of the room with her.

"Shut up and walk." There's just him, John and Esme on the betting shop now. They listen to the door opening and then closing. Tommy leans his hands into fists on the table, before sitting down on the chair in front of John.

"Thomas? Should I go and speak to Queen Mary Lee at the Black Patch?" Esme takes a step closer to her husband, watching as Thomas rests his elbows on the table, hands intertwined together in front of his mouth.

"Yes."

"She can give us soldiers for a few nights." She says and he just murmurs.

"Mm, good." Fingers moving restlessly as he looks down onto the table, mind racing to think of solutions.

"John, go and bring up the car." The other Shelby looks up at his wife, that just nods her head towards the door. He gets up from the chair, giving a last glance at his brother who is still silent, then he picks up his hat and leaves. Esme walks to the door to certifie herself that he really left before coming back to the table and inclining herself on the table to get closer to her brother-in-law. "Imagine riding away, Thomas. Living the real life, you know? Your Gypsy half is the stronger. You just want to ride away." Thomas looks up at her, just observing quietly as she talks. "France is the new place for us, they say. Lot of metal lying around still. Guns and trucks and spent shells and things. Then you go south. Saintes-Maries, where the Black Madonna is. My brothers go sometimes for the fair. It's like a home for us. They still let you get lost there." He lowers his hands to the table and leans closer to her, speaking low and calmly.

"I've been to France, Esme. So has John. Now get your coat and go with your husband." The gangster just observes her for a moment, before taking her face between the fingers of his left hand. "And if you ever talk about getting lost again, I will cut you from this family." After he releases her, Esme looks around, as to make a point, before speaking.

"What family?" And then she leaves and Thomas can't help to think that she is not all wrong.

* * *

Daphne doesn't see Alfie before going to the bakery that morning, what she finds a little strange, because they usually go to work together, but she brushes it off as overthinking. Yet, things get weirder as she approaches the bakery and all the man go dead silent as she passes then. She ignores it too, like she ignores the little remnants of blood on the floor and the fact that Ollie seems more nervous than usual around her. That is until she has to get out of her office to ask something to Ollie and overhears a conversation between two of their employees - a conversation about the prison of one of the gypsy brothers.

She stops dead on her tracks, the two men see her and look at each other like they've just seem a ghost, until Ollie shoo them away, looking back at her with a very frightened expression. It's then that it all comes weighing down on her - Alfie's extrange behavior for all these past months, the fact that he wanted her out of the house last night, his cold demeanor towards her since the wedding.

Ollie tries to intercept her when she starts walking again but there is no stopping her as she storms through the corridor to Alfie's office. Her breath is uneven and she has a hard time recognizing what exactly is the feeling bubbling under her skin - is it anger? Or maybe it's betrayal but she can figure it out why she would feel that way. When she opens the door, unceremoniously, Alfie immediately looks up from whatever it is he is working on. He nods at Ollie, who is standing right behind her, and the younger man leaves, closing the door.

"You already know then?" There was no reason to pretend he didn't know why she was there, he had been preparing himself for that all morning. Alfie reclines himself back into his chair, letting his glasses fall to his chest as he looks at her. She doesn't sit on her usual chair, right in front of him, doesn't think she can, not in the state she is in and that is his first sign of what is about to come.

"That's what you've been hiding from me all along?" If he didn't knew her so well, Alfie would think that she wasn't unsettled by the news. Standing there, in the middle of his office, speaking to him without raising her voice, her speech did not falter, like this was just a normal conversation about the business and not the questioning that he knew it was, Daphne showed few signs of the raging battle roaring inside of her. She had always been good at concealing her feelings even when she was a kid, having been raised to be a proper lady, not letting others know that underneath all that pretense lived a real woman with real feelings.

"I knew you would vouch against it if I told ya."

"Then you just decided that it was better to do it behind my back?" It was already bad enough to think the exact same thing on his head, hearing her said it out loud only made things ten times worse and he kinda hated himself for that.

"Look, love, I've told ya we were going to use them to win the war and then get rid of the fucking gypsies, haven't I?" Rolling her eyes she asked him.

"Sabini is not a problem anymore then, is he?" Alfie almost swore under his breath - she was too damn perceptive, he had been fooling her for far more time than he thought was possible. The Jew took a deep breath before stating.

"We've made an agreement." She laughs, humourless, hands resting on her waist before she traps him in her gaze.

"An agreement." A pause. "Let me guess, he promised you that our bookies could go to Epsom this year in exchange of your help to get rid of the Blinders?" Daphne waits for him to say something, which he doesn't, and she caughts herself massaging her temples as she paces around the room. "And like all the other times, he will deceive you."

"You don't know that."

"Don't I?" She snaps at his tone, walking to his desk, standing between the two chairs and propping her hands, closed into fists, on the wood.

"We have a written deal." He tries to hold his ground but stops as he hears her laugh again, mockingly.

"A written deal, of course, how haven't I thought of this before, huh?" Her hazel eyes search for his blue ones. "Tell me, Alfie, this is what you call winning a war?"

"What do you know about winning wars, Daphne?" He regrets the words the moment they left his mouth, specially when she flinches away from him, taking a step back from the desk.

"I know plenty about war, Alfred, you know that better than anyone."

"Daph…" The Jew almost gets up from his seat but she stops him before he could finish the movement.

"Don't." Turning her back to him, Daphne closes her eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply, trying to keep her cool. "What did you do?"

"We've taken all of the clubs back and Arthur is in prison." She looked at him from over her shoulder.

"For what?"

"The murder of Billy Kitchen."

"That was your plan all along?" She hears him exhale loudly before his voice is heard.

"Not in detail, but yeah, it was the plan since the beginning, aye."

"And you didn't told me before… why?"

"Because you've turned soft, Daphne." When she turned to face him his expression had changed, it's like he was telling her something that is obvious. "I knew that from the moment that that fucking gypsy put foot on this bakery."

"I don't get it."

"I knew you wouldn't accept the deal with Sabinni because of Thomas." He leans forward, resting his forearms on the desk, hands intertwined, venon in his voice.

"Tommy has nothing to do with me thinking that this deal is bad for us." She snaps back at him and this time he is the one who laughs.

"He has everything to do with it, love, because you love him." He pauses to gauge her reaction. Daphne shakes her head in denial.

"You are out of your damn mind."

"I am out of my mind?" He stands up, leaning onto his fists, his tone of voice higher than before. "Are you even hearing yourself and how much of a hypocrite you are being, huh? How's he any different than all the ones we betrayed before him, huh? I will tell you the difference, the difference is that you've let yourself fall in love with him, that's the fucking difference, innit?"

"You know me well enough to know that I would never let my feelings get in the way of the business."

"You don't deny it then? You do love him, don't you?" She doesn't answer him and that only seems to add fuel to the fire. "I wouldn't be surprised if you were already sneaking around with him, huh? Opening your…"

"STOP!" Her scream seems to get him out of his trance and the hurt in her eyes is like a knife to his heart. "Don't say something that you will regret later. Don't make me hate you, Alfie, because I don't know if I can come back from that." They just stare at each other for a long moment before she speaks again. "Why do you keep me around, Alfie? Why do you keep me around if you truly believe that I will betray you at the first opportunity I have?"

"Because I made a fucking promise…" His tone is lower and solemn but she doesn't let him finish.

"Fuck you and your promises. It's not me you have to worry about, Alfred, is yourself." His expression softens and Alfie almost takes a step back at the sheer force of her words. "You push everyone around you away, always have something up your sleeve to try and gain something from everybody. You want to call me a hypocrite, fine, maybe I am, but so are you. Because you stand there, looking at me and talking about fucking promises when you've been lying to me for months in a row and even after all these years that I've been nothing but loyal to you, you have the nerve to look me in the eye and tell me that you're afraid I would betray you for somebody else."

"Daph…" He walks around the table to get closer to her but she steps back, not letting him talk or get closer to her.

"If I really wanted to do that you really think I would choose Thomas? That I would have waited all these years listening from everyone how crazy I was to still be around you, hearing people calling me your mistress and God knows what else behind my back. If I really wanted to betray you, Alfie, I would have done it a hell lot sooner, because that's all that Sabini has been waiting."

Silence fills the room and neither of them is really sure how many time has passed when she speaks again.

"I'm going home. I'll be there tomorrow morning, don't wait for me." He reaches for her as she turns to leave, catching her wrist on his hand, forcing her to face him.

"Are you leaving?" There is a certain level of desperation on his voice and there is no mistaking the worry in his blue eyes, she almost caves in.

"Yes, I'm leaving."

"Where are you going?" Daphne takes a deep breath, holding his gaze.

"To a hotel. I need some time alone. I will still come to work, you don't have to worry about that."

"It's not about the fucking work I'm worried about, innit?" There is silence again and she recognizes the conflict on his face. "And if I don't let you go?"

"I'm not asking for your permission." She breaks away from his hold and walks to the door while Alfie waits for her to look back. She doesn't.

* * *

"Where've you been?" Ada asks her aunt as she enters the room and sees her taking a bath.

"I went to the Spotted Dog in Digbeth for a glass or two of rum." The younger woman observes her aunt and frowns, asking.

"Was it one glass or two?"

"It was three." Polly looks around. "Where's the baby?"

"Sleeping." Ada reclines herself into the couch. "More like five." The older woman groans lightly, lifting her arms from the water to rest it on the rim of the tub ad look at her niece.

"It was more like six." She reaches for the cigarette, resting on the ashtray on the table near her. "Did you meet the maid?"

"I talked politics with her, she got bored and went to bed." They both chuckle at Ada's statement. "I phoned James. He talked to the lawyer anyway. He said he'd take Arthur's case for free, so we don't need Tommy." The older woman exhales loudly, clearly disturbed by the topic. "Pol? We'll get Michael free, as well, I promise."

"There's no need, they're letting him out in the morning." Her expression changes to something somber and Ada frowns, worried. "Do you still talk to Daphne?" The question sounds strange to the young woman, but she answers anyway.

"Yes."

"Then tell her that the best thing she can do is stay away from your brother. She is a nice girl, has certainly suffered enough. There is no future for her besides a man like him."

"Pol, why…"

"If the baby wants anything at night, ring the bell by the bed. She gets paid to work twenty four hours, that girl, she's getting lazy. Well, take advantage if you're nice." Ada observes as her aunt leans into the tub and concludes that the best think she can do is leave her, so that's what she does.

* * *

Daphne doesn't sleep that night. She tosses and turns on the bed, restless, thinking about her fight with Alfie and how the Shelby's might be dealing with all the trouble, until she decides that there is no reason to stay laying down when no sleep will come to her. So she gets up and sits on one of the armchairs by the fireplace, a glass of whiskey on her hands, eyes focused on the fire burning there.

She recalls the words exchanged between her and Alfie that morning and starts to question herself about his accusation. Had her judgment of the situation been tainted by her feelings towards Tommy? Had she really let herself be blinded by love, like Polly had waned her? She, who always had done her best to conceal her feelings from everybody and leave her life dealing with things as rationally as she could?

The burning of the alcohol down her throat brings her back to the present and she hears the banging on the door. Daphne tries to ignore it, thinking that it might be Alfie or one of his man. She doesn't have the strength or the patience to deal with neither now. Then she hears talking and all of a sudden the doors opens and Harriet comes in - no makeup, loose hair and wearing a simple plain gray dress, a worried expression on her face.

"What happened?" The courtesan closes the door behind her, approaching the other woman, taking a sit on the vacant armchair. Daphne turns her face to look through the windows, noticing that is already dawning, she haven't noticed how many time she had been there.

Harriet looks around before fixing her gaze on her friend again - the bed is disheveled but just one look at Daphne says enough for her to know that the woman hadn't had a minute of sleep in the past few hours. Her legs are pulled up on the chair, closer to her chest, hair messily tied in, an empty glass of whiskey in her hands.

"Ollie called me in the middle of the afternoon saying that Alfie was beyond himself and that you had left." There is still no response, the only reaction she gets from Daphne is that she rests her head on the back of the armchair, body relaxing into the armchair as her gaze falls onto the fire. "He keeps saying that he fucked up and that he doesn't deserves your trust but he refused to tell me the meaning of it."

"We fought." Harriet is almost giving up, preparing herself to leave, when Daphne's voice resounds on the room.

"That much I could tell." Hazel eyes focus on her and the courtesan sighs. "What about?"

"Thomas." Daphne pauses, inhales deeply before moving to serve herself another glass of whiskey. "Well, I thought it was about the business, but you can say that the main reason was him." Harriet says nothing, waiting, because she knows that pressing her right now is not the best of choices. "Did you knew?"

"Knew what?"

"About his plans to serve the Shelby's to Sabini on a silver plate." They look at each other for a moment before Harriet answers.

"No. I had my suspicions that he would do something about them soon but he never told me anything." Daphne only hums in response, taking a sip of her drink. "What did he do?" The other woman sneers.

"He made a deal with Sabini so our bookies could work Epsom this year. They have raided all the clubs taken by the Blinders and Tommy's older brother is in jail, framed by the murder of one of their men."

"Oh my…"

"That's what he had been hiding from me all these months." Daphne downs the rest of the whiskey, observing as she turns the glass in her hand. "I told him that Sabini was going to betray him like he has done so many times before and he told me that I was being a hypocrite questioning his actions because we have done that before." She takes a deep breath, looking at the fire again. "And that I was only doing that because I loved Tommy."

"What the fuck! Alfie is out of his damn mind?!" Harriet gets up from her sit, takes the glass from Daphne's hands and pours whiskey on it, taking it in one gulp.

"He is not." The courtesan turns to face her friend, who is still sprawled out on the armchair.

"What…"

"He may have said some things that he shouldn't, but he is not out of his mind." Daphne's expression is devoid of emotion and she is calmer than she had been on the previous day. "The thing is... The thing is he is right, Harriet. Alfie is right. The only difference between Thomas and all of the other people we betrayed is that I love him."

* * *

**Idcam:** Update coming right at you. Daphne can't have a minute of peace. Hope you enjoy the torture though.

**shariebery:** I really want to know what you think of this one. Don't know if things turned out quite as you hoped.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** Here we are, back with another chapter of Thomas and Daphne's story. The information that I will list bellow can be interpreted as spoilers for some things mentioned in this chapter, so if you want to skip it, you can come back and read it later.

1\. The Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps really exists but I changed some information for the sake of the plot, like they accepting someone so young in the ranks, because from what I found the recruiting age was 25 at the time.

2\. The medals received by Daphne are all real too and, same thing as the item above, I changed things a little and I'm not an expert on this things.

3\. If you want to read more about these things, let me know, I have some links from my research.

That's it. As always, this piece has not been proofread, so feel free to report any mistakes back to me. Thanks for reading and subscribing/commenting/fovoriting, your feedback is highly appreciated. If you want, you can find me on Tumblr as "psycheswritings". And please, let me know what you think.

* * *

True to her word, Daphne was at the bakery the next day bright and early. She ignored the glances from the men and headed straight to her office only to find Alfie there, sitting on her chair, waiting for her. Taking a deep breath she closed the door behind her, knowing that delaying the inevitable wouldn't bring them any good. He didn't said anything, just stood up, walking to the window and staring out as she took off her gloves, coat and hat, putting them away before getting comfortable on the chair.

"Harriet talked to you?" She wasn't expecting an apology - Daphne knew better than anyone that apologizing wasn't his thing and she was pretty sure that Alfie didn't regret what he had done.

"Yes, she did." He murmured something that she didn't recognized and it was as if they didn't wanted to acknowledge each other, like they were miles apart instead of just a few meters. Alfie turned to face her, there were bags under his eyes, a bruise on his cheek and he seemed tired. Good, she thought, at least he was having as much trouble as she was.

"I don't regret what I've done."

"I know."

"But I regret the things I said." He averted his eyes from her, almost as if trying to avoid her stare. She didn't answer and that made him a little anxious, enough to make him look at her again.

"I know." Alfie hummed, arms crossed in front of his chest, looking more vulnerable than she had seen in years.

"Are you coming home?" He knew, deep down, that he was asking too much of her in such a short notice but the house seemed strange without her and Alfie hated to admit that since they came back from France he wasn't used to be alone anymore.

"No." Sensing that he wanted to argue with her, she silenced him with a wave of her hand. There was a long pause where neither of them said nothing, they didn't even looked at each other, then Daphne took a deep breath, lifting her gaze to met his eyes. "Since we met each other in France I haven't really noticed how much I have become dependant on you. How much I have changed and ignored things because I didn't want to lose you."

His eyes widened at her confession and he took a step forward, towards the desk. They never talked much about their relationship, since the beginning it was an easy arrangement to slip in - they worked well together, just like he had worked well with Benjamin, they respected each other and with time they had built a beautiful friendship. More than that, Daphne was family, more than the few ones whom he shared blood with. Nonetheless it was foreign for him to hear her acknowledged it like that.

"And I haven't noticed until now that I've lost myself in the process."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that you made me realize that I don't know who I am anymore. This is one of the reasons why I can't go home. I think we need to be away from each other for a while, Alfie." As expected, his reaction wasn't all that good.

"Why? I swear I will give you all the space that you want, you don't even have to talk to me…" She noticed the desperation on his voice and she would be lying if she said that she really wanted to go home.

"That's the thing, Alfie. If I go back I know we will just brush it off after a week, maybe less than that. I can't let that happen, not again."

After Esme left with John, Tommy walked to Charles's yard, trying to keep his thoughts in order. But everytime he thought about meeting Grace, his brain seemed to find a way to remind him of Daphne and once more his aunt's words echoed inside his head, like in the time he had gone to see May: _'She will have her heart broken by the man that she loves… Will you be that man, Tommy?'_.

When he arrived at the stables, Curly was there shoveling sit. So he took his coat off, putting it aside and picking up one of the rakes that rested against the wall.

"What are you doing, Tommy?" Curly asked him when he started shoveling.

"Shovelling shit, Curly. Just like you."

"And why are you doing that, Tommy?" The man asked again, confused, still observing him.

"To remind myself of what I'd be if I wasn't who I am." The both of them worked together for some minutes until Charles appeared on the door. He observed the pair for some time and then asked.

"Tommy? What's going on?"

"I think Tommy's lost his mind, Charlie!" Curly said, laughing, just before Tommy stopped and handed the rake to Charlie.

"Well, it's honest work, Curly but I don't want to get used to it, so I'll need six cans of petrol. Bring them to the garage, put them in the back of the car." He said as he put his coat and hat back, patting Curly on the back on his way out, ignoring his uncle shouting behind him and trying to convince himself that this meeting was business, nothing else.

James had just left when he heard the knock on the front door. Tommy took a deep breath before opening it. She was different from what he remembered - hair shorter, expensive clothes and jewelry - but at the same time there was something still familiar to him.

"Tommy."

"Grace." He stepped back, making room for her to enter. He helped her with her coat and guided her to the living room.

"Is this your house?" She asked as he closed the door behind them, fingers nervously playing with her clutch.

"Yes. Have a seat." He passed by her, taking away the cushion resting on the armchair before he sat down, finding her sitting opposite him.

"Do I not get a drink?"

"Please." He pointed to where the drinks were, on a table nearby, not giving her much attention as he took out a cigarette from the case, placing it between his lips.

"You want one?" Grace offered as she got up.

"Yes."

"Still whisky?"

"Yes." She poured two glasses as he struck the match to light the cigarette.

"But other things have changed. I saw vans with your name on at the docks."

"Yes, some things have changed." Tommy tried not to think about how much things have changed. How things were definitely not the same as they were when she left for America. Grace walked to him, giving him the glas and lingering for a moment. When he didn't make a move or said a word, she resigned herself to sit on the couch, closer to him than she was before.

"Tommy, I really wasn't sure about coming tonight…" She was looking at him but he was staring at the door, just behind her.

"I lit a fire in the bedroom upstairs." He inhales and exhales loudly. "My plan was that we sit here for awhile and talk about old times, drink some whisky. And I was going to tell you I hadn't spent a day without thinking about you. And then we were going to go upstairs and sleep together. But just now, on the way to opening the door, I changed my mind. So just have one drink, tell me how happy you are in New York and then you can go." It wasn't entirely true but it wasn't a lie either. He had thought about her on most days during the past two years and he would be lying if he said that he hadn't felt nothing when he saw her there at the door. Yet, it would also be a lie to say that she was the only one on his mind right now - as she hadn't been for the past few months.

"You changed your mind?" Her tone was almost surprised.

"Mmm. So you can go."

"As a matter of fact, I am happy in New York. And I am married." He had predicted that - the defensive act she would put, trying to sound offended as if she hadn't being writing to him all this time, even when he hadn't' answered her, even after she married. In the end, it just seemed like she was trying to convince herself more than him.

"Oh, yeah, he's rich, I know."

"And he's sweet and he's kind to me, so what makes you think that I would have gone to bed with you after one whisky and some conversation?"

"I was accounting for three whiskies."

"How dare you?" In her defense, she really tried to seem bothered by his behavior, even though she had know him well enough in the past to know how he dealt with things.

"Doesn't matter now, because I've changed my mind."

"I came here because you asked me."

"Even though he's sweet and he's kind to you?"

"And now I feel like an idiot."

"Well, then go."

"Jesus." She didn't made a move to get up or to leave and he waited for a moment before speaking again.

"But you're still here."

"Are you so certain?" She challenged, looking at him again.

"That you're still in love with me?" He paused before continuing. "I was, but I'm not any more." There was another moment of silence before he asked her. "You're not armed, Grace, are you?"

"No, I'm not armed. I don't carry guns. I don't have to." The blond spat the words at him like venom.

"You don't have a sense of humour anymore, either."

"What are you talking about?" The woman looked at him, confused, then Tommy lift his arms in a mock surrender, before going to sit beside her on the couch.

"Thing is, I hate reunions. I didn't want to sit here for hours talking about nothing and dancing around what we really want to say. So now I know you're happy in New York. I know your husband's rich and sweet and kind to you. I know you're unarmed and you didn't come here for sex, because you don't love me anymore. And it's only three minutes past." The way she looks at him says everything he needs to know. "Another drink?" He gets up and she doesn't say anything. "I'll take that as a yes." Tommy takes the bottle from the table and turns to face her. "It's good to see you, Grace."

"So you didn't light the fire?" He ignores her question as she follows his movements with her eyes, expectantly, and Tommy takes a sit on the armchair again.

"You see, my real plan was that we go out. I want to impress you. Now, do you like Charlie Chaplin?"

"Yes, I like Charlie Chaplin." Grace says, smiling.

"Good. But I bet you've never heard Charlie Chaplin speak." He takes her to the party where Chaplin is promoting his film, introduces her to him and takes his leave to phone Campbell.

"Hello, Mr Campbell. You said you knew my sister's address in Primrose Hill. So I expect you have men watching the house, to see who comes and goes. Well, tonight, your men will see me return to the house with a very beautiful woman. She will stay until just before midnight. Course, I'll close the curtains. Can you guess who the woman is?"

"Liar!" The Irishman says from the other end of the line.

"Sleep well, Mr Campbell."

When they come back to the house and he kisses her, she does little to fight him, giving in to him quite easily.

"Tommy. Tommy, do you have someone?" He doesn't answer her but his mind wanders, bringing back memories of things that happened in the kitchen of this same house. "It's too late, Tommy."

"It's 11, Grace." They keep kissing as they talk. He knows Campbell's man had seen them arrive, so he probably knew by know that the woman who was with Tommy was Grace, indeed.

"I mean, it's too late. If you'd come with me to New York…"

"I had things to do."

"You mean the coin landed the wrong way?" Always with the questions. He stopped, looking at her before speaking.

"It couldn't have worked. What was the question?" Tommy leaned in, kissing her again and she asked him one more time when they parted.

"Tommy, do you have someone?"

"I have a race horse. She's going to win the Derby." Grace seemed satisfied with his answer as she kissed him again when in truth she didn't truly understood the meaning of his words.

"When do you sail back?" He asks her as they dress themselves afterwards.

"We don't know yet."

"You don't have a return ticket?" Tommy is confused at her answer.

"This wasn't right, Tommy." Again, it seems like she is trying to convince herself of her own words.

"When do you go back, Grace?"

"They're doing tests on us. I don't know when they'll be finished. We're having treatment. A doctor in Harley Street. Some new thing. A breakthrough. We're trying for a baby." He looks at the couch, weighs the information for a moment, then looks back at her.

"Why did you come here tonight?"

"The doctor believes it's surely me who's at fault." She defends herself and he feels bad for her for a moment, still unsure of what to think about it.

"I am sorry. It is no-one's fault."

"I'm tired of that."

"You're still working under cover, eh?" She slaps him across the face before saying.

"I've never lied to him once."

"Well, you're not telling him the truth either."

There are some things that come together with the job when you work with a gangster, Daphne learned that in her first year in London, right after the war, when she was still getting the hang of it. One of them was that her name not only opened some doors - and closed others - but some people feared it to. It was hard to say if this was due to what she could do or if it was because of Alfie's protectiveness.

However, the Jew never had a good relationship with the police and Daphne knew that she was only standing here right now because of the influence of her grandfather's surname. They opened the door to the cell and she braced herself for the confront. The police officer led her inside, staying a step in front of her, weary about the prisoner's behavior. Arthur looked up at her and laughed, sarcastically.

"You're here to see the job done, love?" He didn't moved from the cot he was currently sitting on. One of the other guards brought a chair for her and moved to put handcuffs on the eldest Shelby.

"There is no need for that. I'm sure that Arthur is not going to hurt me." The two policeman looked at her and then at each other, doubtfully, while she looked at the Shelby brother, who was staring at the wall. He had blood on his face and clothes, probably from being beaten both in the jail. "If something happens you can say it was on me." They nodded, still unsure, but left her alone with the Shelby anyway, knowing that whatever fate was waiting for them, the better thing to do was not to mess with her. Daphne sat on the chair, crossing her legs and resting her intertwined hands on her lap. After a moment, Arthur looked up at her but didn't say anything.

"I know I'm probably not your favorite person at the moment but…"

"That's an understatement, love." She sighed, feeling defeated, and then he continued. "But you're the first that bothered to come here, so I'm willing to let you talk just the see something different for a moment." Daphne nodded, taking a deep breath - it was a beginning, at least.

"I'm sorry about what happened." He stared at her, analyzing her apology.

"You didn't knew, then." It wasn't a question but the woman felt the need to clarify some things anyway.

"No. Alfie didn't tell me anything." Arthur hummed in acknowledgment, looking at the light coming from between the bars on the small window and then at her.

"Because of Tommy." The surprise on her face made him laugh. "Oh, love. People think that my brother is the most intelligent on the family, and they are right in doing so, but I'm not that stupid either. I see the way he looks at you." She said nothing to the observation and silence filled the cell for a moment to long.

"It doesn't matter anymore."

"Doesn't it?" Arthur looked at her then and the woman felt trapped in his gaze. "Then why are you here?"

"I want to help get you out of here." He tried to conceal the surprise on his face but did a terrible job at it. "I'm talking to a few people, asking for some favours…"

"It isn't easier to try and convince that Jewish bastard to change his version of the facts?" Daphne took a deep breath before answering.

"We're not exactly into talking terms." Arthur kept quiet, just staring at her for a moment and she didn't even notice that in the meantime her fingers had automatically searched for the locket hanging from her neck. The gesture so ingrained in her behavior that she only realized she was playing with it when Arthur pointed it out.

"What's so important about this necklace of yours?" His face filled with curiosity as he points his finger in the direction of her chest. She looks down and sighs, weighing her options. Then she takes the necklace off, her thumb brushing the locket one more time before piling it up on her palm and extending it for the man to take. Arthur reaches for the jewelry after a moment of hesitation, looking up at her before opening it.

He recognizes the young girl on the photograph - there's no mistaking it when her older version is right in front of him - but is the boy who catches his attention.

"This is Benjamim." She pauses and Arthur notices the pain in her tone. The eldest Shelby rearranges himself in the cot, sitting at the edge of it, closer to her, the jewelry still on his hands. "He was my brother." His eyes search for hers and his expression softens a little.

"France?"

"Yeah." Daphne thinks for a moment about what to say next. It's been a while since she talked about this with somebody. "He died in an ambush, I never had the chance to say goodbye to him."

"You were there too, weren't you?"

"Yes. Military nurse." Arthur seemed a little surprised at the information, even knowing that she had medical training.

"Weren't you a little younger to be in the ranks at the time?" She smiled at the concern in his voice, remembering that Polly had done something similar.

"I lied on the registry, they overlook it because there were not that much people with proper training." Daphne remembers the day they took the photograph, the way he looked in his uniform and how she would give anything to see him at least one more time. It was a strange feeling, because it not a day had passed by without her thinking about him, but talking about it wasn't any less difficult despite the years. They stayed in silence for a long time, then he approached her, taking her hand in his and placing the necklace back into her palm.

"You are too good to that Jewish bastard." She opened her mouth to protest but was silenced by the words he said next. "And to my brother."

"Arthur…"

"But maybe you're just what they need, eh." He stared at her for a moment, still holding her hand. "Don't worry too much about me, love, I think you already have much on your mind. Just be careful." They heard the guards approaching the door and Arthur sat back on the cot. "Thank you for coming." She nodded at him before the officers guided her out of the cell.

Tommy lost count of how many time he had been looking at the closed drawer of his desk, the one where he had kept Daphne's file. Since John had given it to him, the Brummie gangster had been engaged in an internal debate about reading it or not.

A part of him felt that it was downright disrespectful to read her personal record like that - he knew that he hated when people mentioned his military history as they knew shit about him, she must feel the same way. Therefore, he ignored the file all he could. But after last night, after what happened at the wedding, the information was calling to him, literally within reach of his hands as he sat in his office, a glass of whiskey resting on the desk and a cigarette between his fingers.

He called Lizzie, said to her that she could go home and to lock the doors on her way out, so he would be alone. When he was sure that she had left, he opened the drawer and took the file, resting it on the desk right in front of him.

Scrambling over the many documents, he found her enlistment form. There was a photograph of her attached to it, in a nurse uniform and a serious expression on her face, hair neatly tied. Despite the circumstances, Tommy still found her beautiful. She was a part of the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service, having volunteered at age eighteen. She served as a nurse in all four years of the war, in all kinds of places and was present in some of the worst battles getting to the rank of Senior Sister.

There were a lot of compliments from her superiors, a letter of recommendation from the Matron, information about the decorations she had earned - the military medal, a royal red cross and the most impressive of all, a Victoria Cross - but what really caught his attention was the information that came next.

Her brother had died in combat while she was there. When she received the news, in the middle of an offensive by the Germans, she continued to treat the patients even when relieved from work by her superiors.

"Fuck." He leaned into the chair, his fingers brushing the photograph as he thought about what he had just read. Tommy had a tendency to forget that the war affected many families, it wasn't a privilege of his own. He tried to remember all their interactions from the beginning - how she wasn't frightened by him, how she didn't felt disturbed by displays of violence, how she dealt with his and his brothers injuries like it was nothing - it all made sense now. They weren't so different, after all.

"Look." May walked sideways from where they were heading. "Come" She said, stopping by the water fountain and motioned for him to come closer with her hand. When he approached, he saw goldfish swimming into the clear water. "Does it really stop the horses from getting worms?"

"Yep. It really does." He took a drag of his cigarette, observing the fish for a moment. This was as good a time as any.

"Anyway, I thought it would make you smile." When he didn't said anything she continued. "I'm sorry that you had to drive through the night. Must be exhausted. You can go and sleep if you want."

"May. We have to stop. This." He turns to face her and points to the both of them. "I came here to tell you we have to stop."

"Why?" She tooks a step closer to him. "Because I'm me and you're you? That old thing?"

"There's someone." She seems surprised by that. "And I didn't want you to think anything about how it's going to be after the race." he clears his throat while she looks away for a second. "Not many of your people know about me so I haven't done the damage that would come."

"'My people'?" May furrows her brows at him.

"But the damage isn't done, is what I mean." He is a little unsure about how to deal with the situation, it's been a while since he had to deal with things like that.

"Right."

"And even if it's like this, I want the horse to stay here."

"To stay. Yes, of course."

"Epsom is close…"

"And I haven't got my outfit yet, so it's all right." She looks away from him again.

"You can still be with me in the enclosure."

"Very gracious of you, Sir." Her tone brings together the hurt and the mockery she is feeling at the moment.

"You can wear something..."

"It's funny, isn't it, because you'll be up there and I'll be down in the ring. Sort of upside down, isn't it?"

"You can still be with me after and you can still wear something..."

"I will be covered in mud, from the ring." May cuts him off, again.

"May, forget about men like me..." As he takes a step closer to him she walks away, circling the water fountain and standing opposite from him.

"I was going to tell you how much she's improved." He turns to her, hands in his pockets.

"There are other men, May…"

"I think she stands a chance of placing, Sir." She is trying to redirect, to sound stronger than she is, but there is no denying the tears she is holding back. "The silly part of our business is done. Are you going to drive straight off to Birmingham, or…?" He tilts his head and observes her.

"What if I said, huh, 'All right, I'll stay'? After what I just said." She stares back at him and then answers.

"Then that would be alright." Tommy looks at the ground as she speaks again. "You talk about damage. The damage not yet done. You don't think half of London already thinks that I am fucking a racketeer? Laughing about it. Laying bets on when you'll steal the silver. You think your people are ruthless? Try mine."

"So that is why you carry on, eh? Because you can't back down."

"Amongst many other illogical reasons. So will you drive straight off, or? I haven't got any petrol in the garage." And then he understands that despite how their relationship had started, May had really developed some kind of feeling for him besides the physical attraction.

"I have some cans of petrol in the car."

"Good. So you can go." After a moment, he clears his throat and walks away, only to turn around and walk back to the fountain, placing his foot at the end of the it and resting one of his arms on his leg.

"They look happy in there, eh? And why wouldn't they be?" May walks to stand beside him and asks.

"Who is she?" The image his mind conjures makes him take a deep breath.

"Someone who's sailing away."

"So let her sail." She says and he looks at her as she comes closer. "You've told me about her like a gentleman. Now kindly behave like a gangster again. Feel sorry for me, it's fine. Because your horse will come fifth or sixth. But I will win you." As Thomas observes her walk away the only thing he can think about is that his heart is already taken.

She holds onto him like she needs something to remind herself that she is still real, that she is alive. William just hugs her back, kissing the top of her head as he holds her, letting her take her time, knowing that this was probably the most trying times she has had since France.

"Thank you." Daphne says when she releases the hold on him and he sees how much the fight had affected her. He had seen her in some very bad situations - covered in blood, both from her and from patients; working alone in injuries that require a lot more of personnel to deal with; taking one more shift even when she was clearly exhausted; working while injured; and the list goes on - but the situation at hand was clearly different. She looked defeated.

"You look horrible." She tried to smile but it didn't reached her eyes.

"That's exactly what any woman needs to hear."

"You're not just any woman." He closed the door behind him and followed her into the room. Daphne threw herself into the unmade bed, unceremoniously, hugging one of the pillows as she adjusted herself to look at him as he took a sit opposite from her. "I talked to Alfie…"

"I don't want to talk about him." William sighed, ignoring her.

"Don't think I ever saw him like that." Daphne took a deep breath, averting his gaze and looking to the window, it was almost dusk. "He said a lot of things that don't make sense but I gathered that the fight has something to do with Mr. Shelby." She stuck her head on the pillow, hiding her face from him, the sound of her voice muffled by the barrier.

"I don't want to talk about it, not with you." The man took a deep breath, moving closer to her, his fingers removing the hair covering her face as she looked at him.

"But is me who you're going to talk to. Come on." He beckoned her to sit as he took off his shoes and adjusted himself by her side, against the headboard. They stayed in silence for what seemed like a lifetime until he spoke again. "Just because I love you doesn't mean that you can't talk to me about your feelings."

"Will…"

"No, I mean it. I accepted that a long time ago when I decided that I wanted to stay in your life." Daphne looked at him just to find him already staring back at her. "We are friends. I want to be here for you as you will be here for me when I have my heart broken someday." _Again_, she thought, with a hint of guilty.

"My heart hadn't been broken."

"I wasn't talking about Thomas, but we will get there." She looked forward, in the direction of the fireplace, deep in thought. "I know you for what, eight years? You're not a very open person, Daph, you always hide yourself from others. Both of you do that, because God knows that Alfie doesn't let a lot of people in. But somehow you two found each other and understood each other and none of us really figured out how you two worked, but you did. What happened?" Daphne took her time thinking about the question before answering.

"Since France I have been surviving. Just surviving, not living, since it was the only thing I knew. Because I didn't know how to live, I didn't know how to…" He saw her fighting the tears, a very rare occurrence to her, and took her hand in his. " Because I didn't know how to live without Benjamin. I still don't. So I relayed on Alfie, I relayed on Alfie because he was the last thing thing that connected me to my brother, because he understood what felt like losing him. It was comfortable, it was safe, so I overlooked things I never thought I would, I learned the ways of the business, I settled down and in the middle of all of this I lost who I am."

"And who are you, Daphne Scott?"

"That's the problem - I don't know. I have been many things, but I don't know who I am anymore." She continued talking without looking at him. "Before the war I was Miss Scott, a proper lady. Raised to always be polite, smile, say praises at gala dinners, be a good girl and find herself a rich husband that only wanted her for the money, bear him children and live a miserable, loveless life as the good wife I was trained to be. At least, that was the persona that everybody knew, because she coexisted with Daphne, and Daphne wanted very different things. Most important of all, she wanted to be free. She was a romantic who believed she could change the world, that she could find love and be happy away from everything she was raised into. Senior Sister Scott wanted to help people but she also learned that the world would always take something from her, always, because no good deed goes unpunished. But I am neither of them now."

"Then discover who you are. You owe it to yourself. You owe it to him." He moved on the bed to face her, taking both her hands in his. "All these years you have been hiding yourself behind this character you created because deep down you think you don't deserve to live, you think that you should have died in his place." The tears start to fall from her eyes and Daphne tries to take her hands off off his, to looks away from him and hide herself in her shell again but Willian doesn't let her. "But there are things in this life that we will never understand and although I haven't met Benjamin I know that he would want you to be happy."

* * *

**Idcam:** Tommy's specialty is fucking things up. Yeah, Alfie and Daphne have a very unique relationship and I just love to explore this unseen side of him, because we didn't saw much of his personal relationships on the show. Glad you liked it the last one and hope you like this one too.

**shariebery:** They do, don't they? That's exactly the feeling, actually. She feels like he betrayed her too for not trusting her with the information and all of that. And... Yeahhhhhhhhhhhh, I'm sorry. We have a little Grace. I will try to make up to you, I promise.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Here we go again with another update. Hope you are all well and safe with this whole pandemic thing. Take care of yourselves and the people around you.

Not much to say about this chapter, so I am just going to show my gratitude towards _vianneyth_ for being so kind and sweet and supporting me through the process of writing this chapter - you're incredible and I am so grateful to you! Thanks for everyone, EVERY SINGLE SOUL, who has been reading this fic. Seriously, your feedback is what makes me keep writing and I LOVE to read your thougths about the plot and the characthers. Don't feel shy in coming talk to me.

You know the drill, this piece had not been proofread, so feel free to report any mystakes back to me. Thanks for reading and subscribing/commenting/favoriting, your feedback is highly appreciated. If you want, you can find me on Tumblr as "psycheswritings". And please, let me know what you think.

_Now to answering the comments from last chapter..._

**MeriemDjez:** Well, your answer is not in this chapter but probably will be in the next one. Stay tunned.

**Cassie-011:** Thanks so much, darling! Hope you like this one too.

**shariebery:** We have some Daphne/Tommy time on this one but not too much. I won't say anything about Grace because you're getting some answers on the next chapter.

**Idcam:** Alfie doesn't know how to live alone anymore (Daphne is struggling too) but he had it coming. Daphne and Arthur are one of the things I love the most about last chapter. I'm looking foward to develop their friendship. He actually did, I am sorry, Tommy has a thing about fucking up.

**Nicole1024:** Thank you, sweetie. Hope you like this one too!

**AlexisDumbee:** Thank you so much, dear. Let me know what you think about this one too. 

_**WARNING: this fic (as most part of my works) is also been posted on AO3 and Tumblr.**_

* * *

Tommy had told Lizzie to let Campbell into his office at the pretense that he was parking his car. It was the first time they would meet after his plan to make the Field Marshall leave his house got into work and he wanted to take the Irishman out of guard - and so he did.

"I keep everything locked up, Mr. Campbell. Everything of value." Campbell looked up at him as he closed the door, a little more forcibly than necessary, on purpose. The man was rummaging through his desk and by the look on his face he certainly wasn't expecting being caught. Tommy hang his coat, clearing his throat before walking towards the desk. "Take a seat."

"How is your company treasurer, Polly?" The Irishman asked as he bypasses the desk to stand in the opposite side from Tommy.

"Why do you ask?"

"Oh. Just give her my regards." Tommy finds the questioning odd but decides to brush it off as he searches for his cigar case, taking one and lightening it. "Ah! You like to play with fire, don't you, Mr. Shelby? Yesterday, in Belgravia, Field Marshall Russell's house was burnt out. An incendiary device was put through his letter box. Which means that he will have to find somewhere else to live for at least the next three months."

"Which also means that your plan for me to break in and shoot him in his bed is no longer an operational possibility." Tommy states what they both already know, calmly, a hint of a smirk on his face.

"Indeed, but if you think a wee burn frees you from your obligations, think again…"

"I will keep my side of the bargain."

"Oh, by God, you will."

"I will shoot your Field Marshal. But I will do it in a way that serves my purpose." Campbell is still standing in front of him, both hands holding the cane, clearly riled up by the change of plans.

"The only purpose is my purpose."

"I will carry out the assassination at a place of my choosing." The Irishman takes a step towards the desk as he speaks.

"Listen to me. All operational detail must be mutually agreed…"

"I am a soldier of experience and I will determine where and when…"

"Now, that man has twenty-four-hour armed police protection…"

"Your plan was full of holes, Mr. Campbell."

"My plan was mutually agreed!"

"And now your plan is up in smoke! And I have formulated the only viable alternative."

"For God's sake. What do you mean? How would you get to him?" Tommy takes a drag from his cigarette, taking his time to answer.

"I won't. He'll come to me."

"Now listen to me, Mr. Shelby. When this meeting is concluded I must report directly to Mr. Winston Churchill."

"Your relationship with Mr. Churchill is not my concern." The Brummie answers nonchalantly.

"And Mr. Winston Churchill will need to hear details."

"Well, you tell him he'll have to trust me." They glare at each other for a second, then Tommy speaks again. "Look, Mr. Campbell, I will carry out my mission."

"Good."

"Good. But I will do it in a place where it will be impossible for you or your men to have me shot afterwards." Campbell shifts in his place. "Because that was your plan, eh? Coopers front and back. No way out. Me shot dead, dumped in the Thames. I will do the killing, but in a place where that will not be an option."

"Where and when?"

"Epsom. Derby day."

* * *

After one week of living in the hotel Daphne decides to rent a flat. It's the logical thing to do, she thinks to herself, so she can have more privacy and start doing things her way. Her relationship with Alfie was still strained and they were sticking to talk just about business because every time the topic changed they ended up fighting and it seemed that the both of them were tired of it. William and Harriet helped her accommodate in the new place.

She had been avoiding to talk about certain topics with Harriet because she knew how the woman was caught in the crossfire and a part of her, the one who still cared for Alfie, wanted him to have some sort of support system because if she knew him well enough, he was most certainly trying to pretend that everything was fine. Ada was out of town - they have talked over the phone and the Shelby sister assured Daphne that everything was alright between them - so she was relaying on the last person she had left - William.

Since their conversation at the hotel, their first one after she had left Alfie's house, Daphne had been thinking about the things he said to her. She had been able to avoid the specific topic of her relationship with Tommy on the occasion but she was sure that it was just a matter of time until it come up again. Truth be told, she wasn't even sure if they had a relationship of any sort because they never really talked about it. Actually, the last time they had seen each other the last thing they did was talk about anything.

"How's Jane?" She was facing away from him, making tea for the both of them as he adjusted himself on the spare armchair by the fireplace. The flat was not big, everything was in the same room basically - her bed near the window, a little bedside table, a modest wardrobe and a dresser near the fireplace, two armchairs and a center table. There was a nice bathroom and a small kitchen just beside.

"Fine. They are getting used to things there but are happy together. She send you lots of love." Daphne gave him the teacup and goes back to take her own before getting comfortable on her own armchair.

"Send my love to her when you write to her again." They fell into a comfortable silence until he asked her.

"Have you talked to Thomas?" She averted his gaze, sinking into the chair.

"Will…"

"You've been avoiding the topic since the night we talked in the hotel." Daphne was really hoping that her acting had been on point for him not to notice, but she was just so tired that it wasn't all that surprising that she slipped onto her act. "He likes you." Her hazel eyes searched for his blue ones and he laughed at her expression. "What? Did you really think I wouldn't notice?"

"I really hoped I wouldn't have to talk to _you_ about it." She exhaled loudly, taking a sip of her tea and William takes a moment to observe her: she is looking to the fire, he knows it is because she doesn't want to look at him, her cheeks are still rosy from the cold, her fingers playing mindlessly with the hem of her dress, her legs tucked under her. It was easy to fall in love with her, he knew that more than anyone.

"Well, unfortunately for you, I am your better option right now." Daphne looks at him again, sees his playful smile and sighs.

"We could always not talk about it." William raises an eyebrow at her.

"Not an option." He waits, patiently, as he always does, for her to get comfortable enough to talk. Sometimes, William wonders why she always seemed more willing to share things with him than with Harriet, for example, or even with his sister. Most women didn't like to confide in a man like that. He should know better though, because Daphne was nothing but unusual in a lot of things.

"Do you remember the first time we met?"

"You're redirecting." He scolded her and she laughed, sitting up straighter to face him better.

"I am not, I promise." Daphne had already accepted her defeat because she knew he wasn't going to give up, but she wanted to make him understand somethings that had been on her mind lately. Somethings that were very important for their relationship. William drank the rest of his tea, putting the teacup into the table and getting comfortable on his chair as he took a deep breath.

"I remember that you gave me quite a scold." He smiled looking at her to see that she was doing the same. "We fought over what was the best way to treat a patient and you were so damn stubborn, standing there, hands on your hips, holding your ground and defending your opinion so fiercely."

"I was right." There was a smug look on her face and he just shook his head in annoyance.

"You were and even so Dr. Lewis choose to believe in me." Daphne rolled her eyes and William smiled. He knew that she never really liked the old doctor.

"Of course he did. The man worshiped the ground you walked on just because you are a man." She rolled her eyes before continuing. "And you were a prick just alright."

"I was. Smug little thing, fresh out of college, I thought I knew better about everything and I certainly wasn't looking for being proven wrong by a young nurse on my first day." She remembered that, he was the talk of the hospital that morning and for the following days - the young hot doctor who had just arrived to help Dr. Lewis. Daphne had been there for almost a month, things had been going as smoothly as they could be but her mood was sour due to being away from her brother for so long.

At first, she had been excited about the new addition to the personnel, after all, all help was welcome - that is until she actually met William. She was treating a soldier with a severe injury and Dr. Lewis brought him to give his opinion on it. The first thing she noticed was how handsome he was and how young he looked but the niceties stopped there, because next thing they were arguing about the right treatment to apply and things just went down after that.

"You actually searched for me to try and convince me that your plan was better than mine."

"And you snapped at me right away. I don't think I had ever fought with a nurse before but you were having none of my shit."

"You were used to just bat those eyelashes at them and have your way out of the discussion, weren't you?" She smirked at him and William put his hand in front of his face, sighing. "Oh, sweetheart, you don't have to tell me that. I am pretty sure that all the nurses thought I was crazy for fighting you that day. I certainly received lots of death glares on the corridors for weeks."

"Matron certainly didn't agreed with that because she gave me a hard time until we made amends." William still remembers how much the older woman made his life difficult on the weeks right after his arrival.

"Harriet wouldn't shut up about you and how I should give you a chance because you were _'oh, so nice and gentle'_." She feigned an affected voice, then paused for a second looking directly at him. "And how I was going to fall for you if I did open up. I think I did, for a while."

"Daph…"

"No, I have to say it for both our sakes." They looked at each other for a long moment before she continued. "We never really talked about why I couldn't stay with you and sometimes I feel selfish for keeping you around."

"Then we both are being selfish because I didn't wanted to lose you either." She takes a deep breath, gets up from her seat collecting the teacups and walks to the kitchen, gets the bottle of whiskey from the counter along with two glasses and goes back to where he is, pouring them both a dose, offering one of the glasses to him and then getting comfortable on the armchair again. Daphne took a sip of the amber liquid, relishing on the way it burned her throat as she observed the fire crackling.

"I really fell for you at the time, you know." Her voice was firm, as if she was trying to reassure herself and him at the same time.

"I know. You are good at pretending but not that much." They smiled at each other and stayed in silence for a moment.

"And I really wish that things could have been different, that we could have gotten a better chance but you were right when you said that I didn't wanted to live after Benjamin died. I just never let myself acknowledge that."

"Nobody can blame you for that. _I_ don't blame you for that. After we came back, every time I saw Jane I thanked God for her being safe and remembered how you must feel everyday because of him."

"I'm sorry for shutting you out and not giving us a chance. Most part of the time I am sorry for not letting you go."

"It wasn't your choice. Not entirely at least. I stayed because I love you and between being in your life as a friend or nothing at all I would always choose to stay. We already talked about that." They did, in fact, when Daphne told him they couldn't be together anymore, not as a couple, he had asked her if she wanted him to leave her life completely even if it would've been impossible at the time because they were serving at the same place. But she haven't wanted him gone back then and she still didn't want him gone now.

"I just don't understand how I couldn't love you the way you loved me back then but I can fall in love with another person now. It just doesn't make sense and…"

"Hey, hey, hey. Stop that!" He kneeled in front of her, taking the glass of whiskey half drank from her hands and resting it on the table, holding both her hands in his, forcing her to look at him. "Love is not rational, Daph. I know we try to find some explanation, a reason for it but it doesn't exist. We don't choose who we love or in what moment we love them."

"We could have been good together."

"We _are_ good together." He smiled at her and squeezed her hand. "Just because we are not together as a couple it doesn't mean we don't have a good relationship. We've been supporting each other all these years, you can't say to me that this is not a good thing."

"It is. You're one of my best friends, always will be." She smiled at him, remembering all the times he had been there for her. There was no denying how important he was in her life. William would always be a huge part of her history.

"Then talk to me. Don't push me out because you think you'll hurt me. I will say to you if something is too much but let me help you."

"I don't know what to say. Really." Daphne sighed as she sank into the chair and William adjusted himself on the ground right in front of her. "The way I feel about Tommy is… different. He makes me feel things that I had never felt before. Things I didn't wanted to know about."

"Well, you've been avoiding it for years now, I really wouldn't expect nothing less."

"He's everything I didn't wanted for my life." Problem, that's what he was. A big, huge problem. William laughed and Daphne gave him a not so playful slap on the arm.

"Maybe he is exactly what you need him to be even if you haven't realized it yet." She looked at him, half closed eyes, a smirk on her lips.

"When did you got this wise?"

"You've been rubbing off on me." William smiled at her and Daphne felt the urge to hug him, so she did, sliping from the armchair to sit on the ground with him.

"Why couldn't I have stayed in love with you? Life would be a lot simpler."

"That's the thing, life is never simple." The moment is interrupted by a knock on the door, so Daphne gets up to answer it and she has a hard time coming into terms with the person standing in front of her.

"Thomas?" William looks at the door after hearing the name, his eyes meting Tommy's for a moment before he got up from the ground.

"Hope I am not interrupting anything." His voice was devoid of emotion but Daphne notices the hint of displeasure on his face. William was faster than her to answer.

"No. I was heading out, already." He was putting his coat on and heading to the door. "Mr. Shelby." They shook hands briefly and the doctor turned to face her. "You'll gonna be alright?"

"Yeah." She nodded and he got closer, giving her a kiss on the check before heading out.

"See you tomorrow then." Tommy takes a step to the side, giving space for him to get out of the flat. "Mr. Shelby." The two men nod at each other and the gangster observes as William walks down the stairs before looking up at Daphne, who was observing him. After a moment of silence he asked.

"May I come in?" She stepped out of his way, opening the door more for him to enter. Tommy looked around, analysing the small space, noticing how it looked cozy, much like her. Daphne closed the door and walked towards the little table near the fireplace, taking both glasses laying there and walking to the small kitchen.

"Do you want tea? Or whiskey?" She turned to look at him and he just shook his head, denying her offer, stuffing his cap on one of his pockets.

"No, I am fine." Neither of them said nothing for a long while. "Did you knew?" They both knew the answer to that and Tommy didn't fail to notice the offended look on her face.

"Of course not."

"Then that night, at Charles's wedding, it wasn't just a way to distract me." The look she gave him hit him harder than any slap he ever received and, for a moment, he almost regrets asking it, but after Grace he just had to be sure that what he was feeling for her wasn't just one more thing that Solomons's could use against him and his family.

"If you thought even for a moment that I would sell myself for something as simple as a decoy you're clearly underestimating me." Tommy isn't accustomed to being held accountable by the things he says and when he does, he usually doesn't care about what people feel about it. So it actually gets him by surprise how he always seems to find enticing the way Daphne always gets back at him for the things he says.

"You can't really blame me, can you?" He walks to her, slow and deliberate, leaving her time to back off, which she doesn't. When they are a breath apart, his cold fingers trace the skin below her neck and then lower, getting hold of the ever present pendant hanging on her neck. He pulls the locket out of the chancel of her dress, feeling the metal against his fingers and this time, different from the night of her birthday, he opens it. As he expected, there are two photographs there - a girl and a boy. "You've been hiding a lot of secrets, Senior Sister Scott."

"Am not the only one, Sergeant Major Shelby." All he wants to do is to close the distance between them and kiss her, like he had done at the library of the Weston's house. Give in to desire and press her against the wall, have her right there, but there is something that holds him back. "My past is none of your concern."

"Your past, your present, your future… I want them all to be of my concern." The way she looks at him with half closed eyelids should be illegal and Tommy has to take a moment to put his thoughts on check again. "He is the reason why you said I couldn't make you want things you can't have?"

"Thomas…" Daphne closes her eyes, feeling trapped in his presence, she doesn't think that she can talk about Benjamim with him, not yet.

"Because you don't want to live without him."

"Tom…"

"You think you don't deserve to have a life without your twin." Her hazel eyes focus on his blue ones, hands searching for support on his chest as Tommy holds her to him with his free hand.

"You know nothing about that."

"I know enough." She tries to walk away from him, but he is faster than her, releasing the open locket and holding her by the arms, keeping her close, forcing her to face him. "'Can't imagine the pain you feel." Daphne's resolution falters for a moment, her breath coming fast as if she had runned a mile, she feels her chest tightens as she tries to remembers the last time that she had let herself really feel the grieve.

"He was more than my brother, he was everything." Her eyes close for a moment and the memories cloud her mind and she relieves all the times they skipped the music classes so they could run through the gardens, searching for a good spot to hide between the trees. How they always sneaked into each others rooms at night so they didn't had to sleep alone. The way he always seemed to know what she was thinking before herself. Daphne searches for the locket, closing it and holding it between her fingers as she rests her forehead into Tommy's shoulder, his hands travelling to her waist as they sway from side to side for a long moment.

"Why did you stayed with Alfie?" Daphne thinks for a moment but she already knows the answer, she has knew it for a long time.

"Because it was comfortable."

"And I am not, so that's why you're fighting this." She doesn't answer, it's not needed, they both know it's the truth. The woman raises her head, looking at him again.

"Why are you fighting this?" There is a long pause where the only thing they hear is the crackling of the fire and the noises of the city outside.

"Because you deserve better than me." Daphne sees nothing but truth in his ice cold blues.

"I think that is for me to decide." And decide she does, standing on her tiptoes and closing the gap between them in a gentle kiss. As their lips move together all that Tommy can think about is how much he doesn't deserve the woman in his arms. In that moment he too makes a decision, a decision that could change everything.

* * *

"Did you one anyway, you ignorant git." He doesn't notice that Ada had entered the room until she places the cup of tea almost in front of him, turning to leave. That is the moment that Tommy raises his eyes from the paper in front of him.

"Ada, sit down here for a minute." She does as he asks while he folds the letter and puts it on the envelope, linking it to seal. "Ada, if anything happens to me today, I need you to post this letter. The stamps already on. Don't ask any questions. It's…" He pauses for a moment as he takes the cigarette from the ashtray. "...to do with insurance." Ada looks at him, a little disturbed by the information, picking the envelope from the table.

"Look, Tommy? Whatever it is you're involved in, just tell us. God, you never let anybody in. We love you, Tom." His eyes search for hers in the moment and Ada seems to be in an internal battle to choose her next words so he picks the other envelope and holds it between them.

"This one you can hand over yourself." Tommy sees the curiosity in her eyes turn into worry when she sees the name outside the envelope.

"What are you going to do, Tommy?" James enters the room and Tommy gets up, walking to the couch to pick his coat. "What are you doing up at six o'clock in the morning?"

"Ready?" He asks the young writer that nods at him.

"What the bloody hell's going on?" Ada asks, voice an octave higher.

"Little errand." James answers her.

"What errand?"

"He just has to stand there, Ada." Tommy adds as he picks his things..

"Stand where?"

"Let's go. Come on." The older Shelby calls and James follows him out of the room, Ada a little behind them, talking exasperatedly.

"James, what's going on? Don't listen to him, James, he'll get you killed! What errand?"

"For the cause, Ada. The good old cause." The young writer tells her as he and Tommy walk out the door. The two men walk the streets towards Camden Town and when they are approaching Alfie's bakery Tommy says.

"For the next ten minutes, you don't do or say anything I haven't told you. All right?" Met with silence he asks again. "All right?" James confirms it just before they reach the doors.

"Hello, Ollie." Tommy greets the young man as he heads to the door.

"Hang on. Just you, yeah? He stays out here." Ollie admonishes and Tommy turns to James, pointing at him with his index finger and then at the ground, throwing his cigarette away as he does.

"You stay here." The young writer stands there, looking around a little apprehensive, as Tommy follows Ollie inside. He stops, pretending to tie his shoe much to the annoyance of the young man, before they continue to Alfie's office. The Jew barely acknowledges him as they enter the room - feet propped up on the desk, leaning back on his chair reading the paper - and Tommy takes a seat in front of him. He just talks when the phone starts ringing.

"That'll probably be for you, won't it?" Tommy gets up to answer the call.

"Hello? Arthur. You're out?" When the call is finished and Tommy sits back on the chair, Alfie straightens himself to look at the Brummie.

"Right, so that'll be your side of the street swept up, won't it? Where's mine? What you got for me?" Tommy takes the license from his suitcase and hands

"Signed by the Minister of the Empire himself."

"Yeah?"

"Which means that you can put your rum in our shipments and no-one at Poplar Docks will lift a canvas."

"You know what? I'm not even going to have my lawyer look at that."

"No, no, it is all legal."

"You know what, mate? I trust you. That is that. Done." He straightens his hat and then turns to pick a bottle of whiskey. "So, whisky. There is one thing, though, however, that we do need to discuss."

"What would that be?" Tommy asks, taking a drag of his cigarette as Alfie places the bottle on the desk, holding his glasses to his eyes and analysing the contract.

"It says here twenty percent paid to me of your export business."

"As we agreed on the telephone."

"No, no, no, no. See, I had my lawyer draw this up for us, just in case." He places the new contract, that he just got from the drawer, right in front of Tommy, leaning on the desk to show it to the other man. "It says that here, that a hundred percent of your business goes to me."

"I see."

"Just there Don't worry about it, right. Cos it is totally legal, binding. All you have to do is sign the document and transfer the whole lot over to me." Alfie reclines himself back on his chair, waiting for Tommy to sign the contract.

"Sign just here, is it?" The Brummie asks, calmly.

"Yeah."

"I see. That's funny, that is." Tommy says, taking a drag from his cigarette and pointing at the paper in front of him.

"What?" The Jew asks, confused.

"No, that's funny. I'll give you a hundred percent of my business?"

"Yeah!"

"Why?" Ollie, who had been standing there, fidgeting more than usual, points a gun towards Tommy, who looks at him unamused.

"Ollie, no. No. No. Ollie, no. Put that down." Alfie takes the gun from Ollie's hands and places it on the desk, as the younger man retreats to the background. "He understands. He understands. He's a big boy, he knows the road. Now, look, it's just non-fucking-negotiable. That is all you need to know, so all you have to do is sign the fucking contract. Right there." The Jewish gangster taps with his finger where Tommy is supposed to sign.

"Just sign here." Tommy says, before stubbing the cigarette on the ashtray.

"With your pen."

"I understand."

"Good. Get on with it." Alfie encourages when the other gangster does nothing.

"I have an associate waiting for me at the door. I know, he looks like a choirboy but he is actually an anarchist from Kentish Town."

"Tommy, I am going to fucking shoot you."

"Right? Now, when I came in here, Mr. Solomons, I stopped to tie my shoelace Isn't that a fact, Ollie?" He looks at the younger man and then at Alfie again. "I stopped to tie my shoelace. And while I was doing it, I laid a hand grenade under one of your barrels. A mark fifteen with wire trip. My friend upstairs is like one of those anarchists that blew up Wall Street, you know? He's a professional. And he's in charge of the wire. If I don't walk out of that door by the stroke of seven, he's going to trigger the grenade and your very combustible rum will blow us all to hell. And I don't care 'cos I am already dead." Alfie scratches his beard, holding his glasses and analysing Tommy for a moment.

"He tied his lace, Alfie. And there is a kid at the door." Ollie confirms.

"From a good family, too. Ollie, it is shocking what they become." The Brummie remarks.

"What were you doing when this happened?" Alfie turns to face Ollie.

"He tied his lace. Nothing else."

"Yeah. But what were you doing?"

"Marking the runners in the paper." The young man seems embarrassed. There is a little noise of metal and Alfie turns to see Tommy with his pocket watch in hand.

"What are you doing?"

"Just checking the time. Carry on." The Brummie show a hint of a smirk on his face. The Jew gangster takes the gun from the desk and hands it to his associate.

"Ollie, I want you to go outside and shoot that boy in the face from the good family."

"Anyone walks through that door except me, he blows the grenade." Tommy explains.

"He tied his fucking lace, Alfie." Ollie becomes nervous by the second.

"I did tie my lace."

"I bet hundred to one that you're fucking lying, mate. That's my money." Alfie plays with the gun that he took away from Ollie's hand.

"Well, you see, you have failed to consider the form. I did blow up my own pub for the insurance."

"OK, right, well, considering the form, I would say, sixty five to one. Very good odds. And I would be more than happy and agree for you to sign over sixty five percent of your business to me. Thank you."

"Sixty five? No deal." Tommy looks at the younger man. "Ollie, what do you say?"

"Jesus Christ, Alfie. He tied his fucking lace. I saw him. Look, he planted a grenade. I know he did. Alfie, it is Tommy fucking Shelby." Alfie gets up and hits Ollie in the face, holding him by the collar of his shirt.

"You are behaving like a fucking child. This is a man's world. Now, get that apron off and sit in the corner like a little boy. Fuck off. Now!" As Ollie does what he is told, Alfie checks his pocket watch and sits again.

"Four minutes." Tommy says

"Right, four minutes. Talk to me about hand grenades."

"The chalk mark on the barrel at knee height said, "Hamilton Christmas". I took out the pin and put it on the wire." Tommy spins the pin between his fingers before putting it on the empty glass sitting on the desk. Alfie takes it to inspect.

"Based on this…" The Jew shows the pin to Tommy. "...forty five percent."

"Thirty."

"Aw, fuck off, Tommy. That's far too little." He throws the pin at Tommy, who picks it up and starts to play with it.

"In France, Mr Solomons, when I was a tunneller. A clay kicker. A 1-7-9. I blew up Schwaben Hohe. Same kit I'm using today."

"Funny that. I do know the 1-7-9 and I heard they all got buried."

"Three of us dug ourselves out."

"Like you're digging yourself out now."

"Like I'm digging now."

"Fuck me!" Alfie whispers, leaning into his chair. "Listen, I'll give you thirty five. That's your lot." Tommy thinks for a moment.

"Thirty five." Alfie spits on his hand, gettin up and offering it to Tommy, who does the same.

"Now you go out there, send the good boy from the good family home, and come back here, because we have other business to discuss." Tommy nods, goes outside and sends James back home, when he comes back Alfie is alone in the office. He closes the door behind him, sitting down on the same chair he was some minutes ago. The both men contemplate the silence for a few minutes, the Jew is looking out to the window. "You probably already know about Benjamin, don't you? 'Know you've been doing your research on us for a while."

"I do."

"Do you know what he meant to her?" Alfie turns to face Tommy, elbows resting on the desk as he intertwined his fingers in front of him.

"I know he was her twin, yes."

"He was more than that. They were everything for each other. I knew him. The boy served under my command til the day he died. Wouldn't fucking shut up about her any chance he got. When I finally met Daphne it was as if I already knew her." He remembers, clear as day, her hazel eyes looking back at him, fighting to hold back the tears, blood all over her nurse uniform. "I fucking promised him I would protect her. Now, we both know that neither of us are men of keeping their promises but this one, this one I intend to keep, because everytime I look into her eyes I believe, even for just a moment, that there is something good in this world. She suffered enough, deserves some happiness and I am not letting you ruin her chances at it. I am not letting you ruin her, Thomas."

"I don't plan on it." Alfie scoffs at him.

"As you didn't planned to fuck the beautiful blonde who came all the way from New York with her posh husband." Tommy doesn't show any signs of emotion but the Jew knows better. "Yeah, I know about her. The woman who betrayed you and then fucked off to America. Beautiful thing she is."

"She is in the past."

"Is she? Really?" Alfie restes his arms on the desk, leaning closer to the other man. "Because you're sitting there telling me that you don't plan on ruining Daphne but you are lying to her, 'cause you were with the posh blonde some weeks ago."

"It's done. What I had with her is done now." He pauses for a moment and Alfie just observes him without saying anything. "I know how much you care about Daphne and you have my word that I don't intend to hurt her."

"That's the thing, mate, sometimes the things we don't intend to find a way of happening."


	12. Chapter 12

Hello, lovelies

I have some important things to say to you so let's get straight to the point: this fic is being edited and we probably won't have new updates for a while.

The may reason is that now I have a beta and we discussed some changes and I felt that this was the best decision to everyone, since I will rewrite a lot of stuff and make some changes. All the posted chapters will be substituted by the new versions and just after all of them are done I will start updating again.

I'm not abandoning the fic nor will I stop writing it, I'll just change some things that have been bothering me and have someone else take a look at it and correct the mistakes that go unnoticed by me.

The first chapter is already edited and it would make me really happy if you take a look at it and tell me what you think about the changes.

Once the editing is over, this "note" will be deleted.

Thanks for staying with me until now and I hope you don't abandon me (or Daphne).

Love, Ari

P.S.: As you may have noticed, I've changed my username. Now you can find me by the same name on Tumblr and AO3. Also, I want to leave a special thanks to my beta, who has been putting up with me and my craziness for weeks - YOU DESERVE THE WORLD.


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